The ways and means for an Office of Research to promote research on the campus and consequently serve as a faculty advocate in research are discussed and illustrated through case histories. Motivating faculty, which includes creating the proper environment and attending to faculty needs, is the method discussed for promoting research. (JMD)

This paper describes how various formal planning approaches were developed and applied at Pennsylvania State University. Phases (horizontal reduction, vertical reallocation, strategic planning, and strategic management) are identified as are principles including planning for change on the margins and continuity, providing for feedback, and…

Four different higher education case studies are offered as contexts for exploring the implications of the draft code of ethics prepared by the Committee on Standards and Ethics of the Association for Institutional Research and of the strategies for ethical decision making. (MSE)

The activities undertaken by the advising system at Oklahoma State University's College of Arts and Sciences are described. In addition, characteristics of colleges that value the academic advising function and the importance of meeting student needs are sketched. One component of Oklahoma State University's advising system has involved…

By identifying and weighing the effects of an act on each constituency, a matrix based on John Stuart Mill's theories of utilitarianism illuminates and helps resolve complex ethical dilemmas. Application of the approach is illustrated with a simulated case study concerning the issue of reputation in a small private college. (Author/MSE)

Analysis of the first cycle of academic program review at the College of St. Catherine (Minnesota) discusses recommendations resulting from reviews, insights about faculty and committee perceptions, and new directions for the second cycle. It is noted that the second cycle will focus more on program activities and output than on traditional input…

As the largest university in the state, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has developed a reputation as a computer-intensive, technology-rich environment. A case study examines the growth of this environment, the evolving relationship between technology and teaching and learning, and how assessment has recently assumed an…

A description is provided of the development of a university assessment and planning system for all levels of the university. The system is applied in a case study of a regional university. The designed system takes into account the constraints of the state budgeting system, the planning procedures of the state-wide university system, and the…

Traces program development at the North Carolina Outward Bound school from 1967 to 1987. Describes changes in the standard three-week challenge course, evolution of short intensive courses, and introduction of tailored contract courses in response to changing market demands. Discusses implications for institutional mission, identity, and…

Center College of Kentucky's "central myth," or self-understanding, articulated strategically, became the basis for planning and decisions responsible for significant institutional achievement. (MLW)

The "academic ratchet and administrative lattice" framework for examining costs and productivity in college administration is applied to the University of Delaware. The productivity of academic units is analyzed quantitatively and issues in overstaffing and overbudgeting of administrative units are discussed. Faculty staffing trends from…

The McMaster University (Canada) undergraduate medical program participated in a nine-school self-study of clinical evaluation. Comparison of top-ranked problems found lack of transmission of evaluative information from one clerkship unit to subsequent ones to be a common problem. Faculty unwillingness to record negative evaluations was exclusive…

This article details the four-year implementation of Total Quality Management at Delaware County Community College (Pennsylvania) to conserve resources, improve effectiveness, assure quality, and increase participation in decision making. Reported are planning, execution, and monitoring activities of the Implementation Team; specific problems…

The application of basic marketing techniques to achieve the goals of colleges and universities is discussed. The guide is designed to help administrators and admission officers influence the image projected by their institutions. Attention is also directed to how to position an institution among its competitors, how to develop activities and…

A discussion of focus groups in college marketing planning looks at the applicability of the approach, describes important considerations in focus group research, and provides step-by-step guidelines for conducting such groups. The technique's advantages are illustrated in an actual case in which the approach saved valuable institutional…