Economics provides fertile ground, both theoretical and empirical, for institutional researchers interested in higher education costs. (Contains 1 figure.)

The flattening world, growing expectations of accountability, and retiring baby boomers are just a few of the issues in the rapidly changing work environment that make it essential for colleges and universities to understand a wider variety of business affairs data in order to be competitive and effective. To meet these challenges, institutional…

Institutional research can enhance an institution's competitive advantage through admission research by comparing the characteristics of inquirers who apply with those who do not; by documenting trends in the characteristics of applicants; and by conducting studies of accepted students, comparing those who matriculate with those who do not.…

On December 24, 2005, the State Council issued the Circular on Deepening the Rural Compulsory Education Assured Funding Mechanism Reform, initiating the prologue to free compulsory education in China. Following on the heels of China's annulment of rural taxes and the implementation of the new rural cooperative medical system, the rural compulsory…

This chapter presents a sophisticated approach for tracking student cohorts from entry through departure within an institution. It describes how a researcher can create a student tracking model to perform longitudinal research on student cohorts. (Contains 3 tables and 2 figures.)

The purpose of this concurrent triangulation mixed methods study was to understand the status of succession planning and management (SPM) efforts of the subject university as perceived by the fulltime academic and fulltime administrative staff. Four research questions guided this study: (1) how do fulltime academic staff and fulltime…

"Learning on Demand: Online Education in the United States, 2009" represents the seventh annual report on the state of online learning among higher education institutions in the United States. The study is aimed at answering some of the fundamental questions about the nature and extent of online education. Based on responses from over…

In both purpose and practice, general education in American higher education has experienced several recurring debates and national revivals. In a world with constantly evolving technology, students need a strong general education to be flexible and adaptable to the changes of the world. General education is an important component and requirement…

This is the second in a series of annual presentations on the innovative, experimental, and research activities conducted at Santa Fe Junior College. The studies include: classroom activities, college-wide research, short statements on different instructional approaches to formal dissertation abstracts, subjective observations, intricate…

Institutional Research is a new and fast growing field and those involved in it continually ponder their roles. When colleges were small, the president knew most things firsthand. With the growth of institutions and the increasing need for information, the institutional researcher has assumed the duty of investigating aspects of the college or…

This article defines institutional research, names several areas in which research is vital to junior college operations, provides guidelines for institutional research, and includes a selective bibliography on institutional research. (JC)

The five parts of this report are: research on instruction; faculty dissertations; inter-institutional research; in-college research; and college-endorsed research. The first covers experiments in teaching French, practical nursing, English, math, and chemistry, and in giving examinations. Faculty dissertations include studies of post-graduate…

This report on the nature and role of institutional research addresses itself to the following questions: (1) what is institutional research? (2) how "pure" can institutional research be? (3) what can institutional research do for the institution? (the report lists such functions as: preparing operating, analytic and summary reports, conducting…

The Association for Institutional Research conducted a survey of all institutions of higher education in the U.S. and Canada in order to assess the number, size, and financial support of institutional research offices. Data were requested for the 1969-70 academic year. This report is based on the responses of 1,444 institutions that returned the…

This paper explores the relationship between the political economy and the production of scientific knowledge and technological innovation. Specific attention is devoted to the political control of research and development. Concludes that the research and development enterprise creates management problems at the project, organizational, and…