This chapter describes the National Student Clearinghouse and discusses opportunities and challenges for tracking community college students. It also presents a system perspective on using clearinghouse data to promote more comprehensive student and graduate tracking. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study identified undergraduate and post-college activities/experiences that may affect alumni giving. The Input-Environment-Output model, developed by Alexander Astin, along with multivariate statistical analysis served as the framework to analyze various input, environmental, and outcome variables. A review of the literature covers…

This study examined relationships between institutional culture, decision making approaches, and organizational effectiveness of two-year colleges. The sample included 639 full-time faculty members or full-time administrators at 30 public two-year colleges stratified for size. The causal model estimated for this study used K. S. Cameron's (1978;…

Several theorists have categorized distance education as an industrial process. Most institutional research can be seen as contributing to this process. This is especially true in the following areas: market research, organization and methods studies, quality control research, the research activities that are components of management information…

This volume presents feature articles and other information about institutional research and the North East Association for Institutional Research (NEAIR). The four feature articles are intended to provide a comprehensive guide to doing effective institutional research. These articles are: (1) "On the Nature of Institutional Research and the…

An examination was conducted of the control chart as a quality improvement statistical method often used by Total Quality Management (TQM) practitioners in higher education. The examination used an example based on actual requests for information gathered for the Director of Human Resources at a medical center at a midwestern university. The…

A study was undertaken at Mercer County Community College (MCCC) in New Jersey to establish a human resources development (HRD) utility role for the college's Office of Institutional Research (OIR). The study involved a search of current literature; a survey of OIRs at 14 New Jersey community colleges; interviews with 24 senior faculty members;…

The paper sets the stage for the effective and efficient use of computers in institutional research. The microcomputer and the mainframe computer are contrasted for those researchers who have a choice of where to process data. General computer use, specific microcomputer and mainframe computing guidelines, and an application utilizing both…

Patterns of student transfers and performance indicators among selected institutions of the University System of Georgia were studied. Attention was focused on differences in performance as measured by grade point average (GPA) between students leaving one institution for another system institution, and correspondingly of students transferring…

The performance of students who persisted or withdrew from courses was compared in a survey of all undergraduate students enrolled at Georgia State University during the spring 1981 quarter. Multivariate analysis was applied to three aspects of withdrawal and performance: course grades, the length of time withdrawing students stayed in the course,…

The way that graphs can be used to make calculations that are commonly used by institutional researchers is described using specific examples, and the technique of constructing computational graphs (and nomographs) is outlined. It is shown that once a calculation involving several variables has been represented by a computation diagram or a…

In order to address the issue of the reliability and possible bias of students' evaluation of the performance of college teachers, an unobtrusive indicator of teacher performance was investigated. The indicator was the degree to which teachers develop a following among students, measured by how often students return to teachers for additional…

Indicates that the tie between research and education may not be justifiable in an era of declining student population. Presents suggestions for new institutional arrangements so universities can maintain their scientific strength. (GS)

Outlines specific needs for a comprehensive research effort, describes the present status of research in the community colleges of Illinois, defines the comprehensive nature and role of community college institutional research, and considers the implications for the selection and in-service training of researchers. (DC)

The portfolio approach to evaluation can be a useful method of screening and comparing educational programs in terms of their productivity and potential. In the field of investments, portfolio analysis consists of identifying the relative strengths of assets in terms of the dimensions of return and potential for growth. College programs can be…