This issue of "Assessment Update" presents the following articles: (1) James Madison University: Reflections on Sustained Excellence in Assessment (Keston H. Fulcher and Elizabeth R. H. Sanchez); (2) Editor's Notes: Assessment Excellence Abounds! (Stephen P. Hundley); (3) The Promise of an All-in-One Assessment System for Student…

Recent research on collective memory suggests that commemorations of difficult pasts take either a multivocal or a fragmented form. I suggest these forms exist as ideal types for the initial commemoration, but the commemorative field, as a whole, remains dynamic over time, effectively shifting between forms. This study traces the creation,…

Since 2004, Rhodes State College has been at the forefront of developing an institution-wide model of institutional effectiveness--Strategic and Institutional Effectiveness Planning System (SIEPS). A focus on both measuring mission effectiveness and strategic achievement led to development of a unique electronic application that tracks the direct…

This article presents a conversation with three women college leaders on how their respective Ohio colleges are faring in the economy, leadership and what tops their presidential agendas these days. Patricia L. Hardaway was appointed president of Wilberforce University in April 2008. An attorney and graduate of the historically Black university,…

Not later than this winter, the National Research Council plans to release its assessments of American doctoral programs. Due to its inability to wait for the results, Ohio State University took steps last year to review its doctoral programs. Of its 90 doctoral programs, the university found five programs tagged as "candidates for…

When NetJets, a private aviation company, announced it would keep and expand its operational headquarters in Ohio, Richard T. Santulli, chairman and chief executive, didn't give credit to tax breaks or any of the other incentives states and cities typically use to woo or retain corporations. Instead, he said the critical factor was the state's…

An economic impact study of Ohio's public universities and medical schools provides documentation that state appropriations yield financial returns higher than virtually any alternative use of state funds, in the form of economic growth and increased opportunity for financial security. Some significant findings of the report are summarized here.…

Three forms of coordination (a coordinating council for institutions having separate boards, a board of regents for institutions retaining separate boards, and a single board for a system of universities) in Ohio, Wisconsin, and Indiana are examined to determine the impact of coordination on institutional autonomy. (MLW)

Describes a survey conducted to determine full-time faculty perceptions of and involvement in community services efforts at selected Ohio community colleges. Responses from 249 instructors are discussed in terms of community services administration, instruction, programs, purposes, and students. Includes a review of related literature. (JP)

The Ohio State College of Medicine began its Senior Partners Program (SPP) in 2001 as part of its commitment to integrate geriatric education throughout all four years of the medical curriculum. For participating senior partners and medical students, the SPP has signified a journey through a continuum of aging. Initial evaluations suggest that…

Describes OhioLINK, a statewide academic library automation project being developed for state colleges, selected private universities, and the state library. Topics addressed include cost savings; centralized funding; vendor selection; bibliographic and circulation information; commercial databases; cooperation between vendors and librarians; and…