School and school district websites began to mushroom in the mid-1990s in what looked like a rush to stake a cyber-claim in a new frontier. As a byproduct, these early experiments also seemed like a good place to let parents know what is going on in the local school district. Today, it is all too easy to find district websites that are little more…

In this article, the author relates how he initiated a systemic improvement to Half Hollow Hills school district when he became its superintendent. He relates that although he came to Half Hollow Hills with a deep understanding of the models of systemic change, he did not bring with him a specific prescriptive plan for improvement. His plan for…

The hidden dimensions of leadership and of the costs associated with the implementation of new information systems should be carefully considered. They can help determine the short- and long-term success of new systems.

Environmental scanning, enrollment forecasting, budget analyses, and institutional effectiveness assessment are examples of the explicit contributions institutional research offices make to campus strategic planning.

Integrated planning promotes collaborative thinking and furnishes mechanisms for linking strategic plans with operational plans. (Contains 1 figure.)

This chapter delineates the essential elements of a framework for establishing mission priorities for community colleges. (Contains 2 figures.)

The processes for choosing, preparing, and supporting facilitators for faculty learning communities are as unique as the campuses housing them. This chapter reports on a range of activities and highlights three preparation programs. The following are appended: (1) Goals Inventory for Faculty Learning Community; and (2) Planning Inventory for…

This author, in a Leadership column published earlier in EDUCAUSE Review (2002), urged institutional and IT leaders to "move beyond the rhetoric." The earlier article addressed the rapidly changing atmosphere in which higher education IT was evolving and the need to align the IT plan with the strategic direction of the institution in order to…

Built on innovative practices discovered at all types of institutions, the "Greater Expectations" report describes a "New Academy" committed to college access for all those who desire a postsecondary education, especially students from traditionally underrepresented groups. Access alone is insufficient, however, so this New Academy also is…

In this article, the author discusses the creation of a threat-assessment team to be utilized in order to analyze each threat and the usage of threat-assessment protocols for the purpose of guiding school administrators through a crisis. These are actually developed with the advice from the US Department of Education and the Secret Service. When a…

Teachers, administrators and policy makers at all levels of public education remain challenged to devise more effective ways to optimize teacher performance and, thereby, student achievement. Numerous professional organizations and teacher training agencies have long been advocates of high levels of teacher interaction and have formally adopted…

The Office of Management and Budget has recommended the termination of numerous federal programs, citing a lack of program results as the primary reason for this decision. In response to this recommendation, several federal agencies have turned to logic modeling to demonstrate that programs are on the path to results accountability. However,…

In this study, the author compared the effectiveness of two different strategic management course designs: one centered on case discussions and the other combining a computer-based simulation with some cases. In addition to evaluation of the research literature, the study involved experiments with six course sections composed of 130 students, Both…

How do in-house lobbyists for American colleges and universities compare with other types of lobbyists in their roles, tasks, and strategies? To answer this question 105 in-house lobbyists were surveyed using an instrument that reiterated key questions asked in earlier researchers' studies on private or special interest lobbyists, such as the gun…

The importance of the early years in creating a foundation for school and later success is well documented. Children who live in healthy, safe, and stimulating environments in the first five years of their lives are more likely to succeed than children who have more negative experiences. Hawai'i policy makers, like others across the nation, are…