Development, structure, and uses of multi-institutional and statewide student databases at the state level are examined, based on results of a national survey of state higher education agencies. The issue of confidentiality is also discussed. Construction and uses of a multi-institutional system in Colorado are then described, and its advantages…

This volume presents five papers on higher education institutional research in Maryland, all of which were originally presented at annual meetings of the Maryland Association for Institutional Research from 1993 through 1995. The first paper is "A Day in the Life of an Institutional Researcher: Past, Present and Future" (Merill…

In an effort to better market the college's credit programs and services, Prince George's Community College (PGCC), Mayland, has employed its own tracking system which utilizes a socioeconomic segmentation of their serviceable target population. This approach utilizes U.S. Census data grouping neighborhoods into 24 natural socioeconomic, cultural…

This study examined whether there are significant differences in the academic performance and graduation rates of undergraduate transfer students compared to students who entered the general campuses as first-time freshmen in selected 2- and 4-year campuses in Colorado. Four student cohorts were studied within three campuses (Boulder, Denver,…

The value of microcomputer modeling tools and spreadsheets to help college institutional researchers analyze proposed capital projects is discussed, along with strengths and weaknesses of different software packages. Capital budgeting is the analysis that supports decisions about the allocation and commitment of funds to long-term capital…

Recent international trends that may affect postsecondary education in the United States in the twenty-first century include governmental change and dislocation, rapid enrollment expansion, and processes of geographic integration. Implications for colleges and universities include greater student mobility, more distance learning, and opportunities…

The draft code of ethics prepared by the Committee on Standards and Ethics of the Association for Institutional Research is reviewed by section, with commentary on the precepts involved and the code's provisions for individual training and competence, responsibility, confidentiality, relationships within institution and community, and conduct…

Community colleges need to adopt a broad conceptual definition of a continuing student in the design and evaluation of their retention strategies, recognizing nondegree goals as legitimate educational achievements and intermittent but persistent attendance as a valid method of pursuing educational goals. (MSE)

Institutional researchers should know state and federal laws and attorneys general opinions applicable to higher education concerning open meetings and open records, and be prepared for information requests by media and concerned citizens. Case law is examined, and practical steps researchers can take are outlined, including knowing who will…

A discussion of standardized statewide electronic transcript formats and national standardization of electronic data exchange for college student records looks at implications for tracking transfer students' progress. Relative ease of use of the formats and the information contained in the records are examined, technical requirements are noted,…

In an effort to better market the college's programs and services, Prince George's Community College (PGCC), Maryland, has employed its own tracking system which utilizes a socioeconomic segmentation of their serviceable target population. This approach utilizes U.S. Census data grouping neighborhoods into natural socioeconomic, cultural, and…

After a brief introduction offering three reasons people and institutions hesitate to commit themselves to a continuing process of "self-study-in-action," four types of administrative leadership activities are distinguished, those that: (1) respond to external emergencies/opportunities, (2) accomplish role-defined tasks, (3) define and…

Student satisfaction with the environments of five commuter colleges was studied at an eastern university. A reliable instrument was developed to profile 2,392 students' perceptions of 30 aspects of the college environment. To determine how student characteristics relate to their evaluations of the college environment, eight regression analyses…

Proceedings of the 1982 forum of the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) and the 1982-1983 AIR Directory are presented. Titles and authors of general session addresses contained in section 1 are as follows: "On Quality: The Federal Connection" (David Pierpont Gardner); "New Initiatives of State Policy in Higher…

Institutional research that focuses on professional development is addressed in 35 papers from the 1982 meeting of the North East Association for Institutional Research. Titles and authors include the following: "Modeling College Student Adjustment and Retention for the Individual Institution" (Norman D. Aitken); "The Development…