This article discusses how the concept of efficiency in special education services is translated into specific practices. A paradigm is presented that quantifies a measure of student need, ties school allocations to student needs, tracks actual expenditures on special education, and links those expenditures to quantifiable measures of student…

Described are new technologies such as superwindows, compact fluorescent lights, and automated control systems which, when combined with other strategies such as shade trees and light-colored buildings, could reduce building energy expenditures. (CW)

A survey of 64 institutions investigated how the organizational structures of financial aid offices and institutional characteristics (e.g., staff size, sector, computer services) affect the efficiency of administering federal student aid programs. The questionnaire is appended. (MSE)

Four students, aged 15-19, with moderate mental retardation learned to cash checks and use an automatic teller through either a decreasing prompt hierarchy or time-delay procedure. Both strategies led to acquisition of target tasks and were equally effective in producing performance maintenance; however, the decreasing prompt hierarchy was more…

Colleagues of the late Virginia Carter Smith, former communications vice president of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), comment on her special qualities and contributions to the organization and its administration. (MSE)

Reasons for adopting Open Software Foundation (OSF) standards for distributed computing environments (DCE) within colleges and universities are examined. Adoption would promote interoperability across heterogeneous systems within and between institutions, aid in transition to client/server computing, and facilitate sharing and leveraging across…

The college or university's business office can help reduce problems with student receivables through procedural review of the tuition revenue process, application of analytical methods, and improved operating practices. Admissions, financial aid, and billing offices must all be involved. (MSE)

Advice for stretching the capacity of the small college public relations office includes planning well; using strategy; searching out creative ideas; choosing quality over quantity in press releases; using student and volunteer workers; developing strong media relations; accepting advice; and anticipating problems. (MSE)

Defines cataloging management; describes cataloging work flow basics; discusses current issues such as outsourcing, job duties, cataloging Internet resources, and online catalogs; and predicts the future role of cataloging managers. A simplified cataloging work flow chart and cataloging management exercise with a sample solution are presented in…

Suggestions for college development officers for improving efficiency in researching potential donors include networking with parents, alumni, faculty, trustees, and even the college president; using class notes, local and national business publications, and computer databases; and using personal organizational ability, imagination, and…

Three individuals with multiple severe disabilities were taught an appropriate response to problem behaviors, but the response was less efficient than the problem behavior on physical effort, schedule of reinforcement, or stimulus-reinforcer time delay. The response did not compete successfully with the problem behaviors until a new, more…

Newly developed electronic data interchange (EDI) standards for exchanging academic records between colleges and universities are explained. It is argued that implementation of the new standards in college registrar and admissions offices can improve speed, costs, and accuracy and provide a prototype for a variety of campus business applications.…

Criticizes the state of educational economics through a review of "Economics of Education: Research and Studies" (G. Psacharopoulos, ed.) and "The Economics of Education and the Education of an Economist" (M. Blaug). Charges that educational economists have ignored external challenges and devastating technical and conceptual…

The University of Denver (Colorado) reduced workers' compensation losses 97 percent in 1990-91 by developing a master safety plan, sponsoring safety training, managing medical costs, providing modified duty for injured employees, screening applicants, orienting new employees, investigating claims thoroughly, performing life-safety audits, and…

The University of Maryland at Baltimore's 12-month graduate program in general dentistry focuses on comprehensive care and treatment planning in a simulated group practice environment. To achieve its goal of self-support, the program solicits training grants from international corporations, generates income from clinical facilities, encourages…