Highlights key issues for consideration in institutional research on college climate, including those that affect women, racial and ethnic minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered students; and disabled students. These climate issues are also pertinent to majority students in diverse environments and are quickly becoming a regular…

Since its founding in 1994, the Society for Social Work and Research (SSWR) has grown dramatically, in large part because of its annual conference featuring the best in social work research. SSWR's growth has also given rise to an appreciation for greater diversity in methods. Although disparities in research infrastructure (and procurement of…

Reviews the literature on student attrition and suggests ways to increase enrollment and re-enrollment at community colleges without establishing labor-intensive programs and services. Focuses on the creation of the necessary environment for retention; the importance of campus-based research; and ways of predicting and preventing unnecessary…

Identifies components of a comprehensive assessment of an educational institution's external environment; i.e., demographic trends, social indicators, economic trends, political change, technological advances, changes in the workplace, advances in information technologies, and value shifts. (DMM)

Some of the most commonly available and widely used tests and questionnaires relevant to campus assessment programs in subject areas, attitudes and satisfaction of students and former students, and other outcomes areas are listed. (MSE)

St. Norbert College's participation in an American Council on Education project on the use of student data for institutional planning and decision-making, and its use of student survey results to make administrative and academic policy changes for program improvement, are outlined and discussed. (MSE)

Student retention at the University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill is examined using different student levels (freshman, transfer, masters, professional, and doctoral) as a basis for comparison. Intrainstitutional data have the advantage of being readily available and they highlight the difference among levels within the institution. Understanding…

Hard times for higher education will make community understanding and support more important than ever. Institutions must look for creative ways to involve themselves in community relations and community services. Organizing, setting measurable objectives, the urban challenge, serving as information center, promoting campus services, and…

The case studies of performance budgeting for higher education by Hawaii and Washington illustrate the issues and obstacles involved in new approaches to accountability. Issues covered: development of performance measures, aggregation and analysis, quantitative v qualitative measures, performance measures and responsibility accounting, and…

The processes and effects of state performance audits of postsecondary academic programs are illustrated by case studies in Wisconsin and Virginia. Main problems are: the difficulty of establishing legislative intent; lack of appropriate performance indicators, measures, and standards, and issues of timeliness and impact. (MLW)

The varying impacts of alternative financial-aid policies and delivery procedures on colleges and potential students are considered. It is concluded that there is little that financial-aid policy itself can do to counter enrollment declines, but that individual policy innovations do have some potential to redistribute enrollment. (Author/JMD)

As tuition charges increase and more students are eligible for financial aid, colleges must develop a concrete strategy to manage financial aid resources. Mechanisms to help financial aid officers effectively utilize aid resources in enrolling students are discussed. Mathematical formulas and calculations are included. (Author/JMD)

Evaluation procedures and programs in the Cincinnati, Ohio school system, the role of local school evaluators, and the models for school evaluation--based on high, moderate, or low trust--are described. Evaluators serve local schools in formative and summative evaluation projects, in assessing needs, and in meeting them. (MH)

Reviews the basic concepts governing student aid funding and the mechanics of delivery, including a review of the development of current federal financial aid programs, the complexities of determining student need, institutional responsibility, and suggested areas for institutional research. Notes that the challenges ahead include strengthening…

Graduate education is entering an era of market segmentation, varying student demand, and changing requirements from employers, meaning graduate students will assess graduate opportunities differently and institutions will assess programs differently. The traditional view of graduate study as preparation for a research or teaching career and…