Institutional researchers come to their field from a variety of educational and work experiences. Regardless of their expertise, however, it is difficult--if not impossible--for a single researcher, or even a large team of researchers, to know and understand all the nuanced differences among the many disciplines found in a comprehensive…

In 1989, John S. and James L. Knight established the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics. Although it has no regulatory authority or oversight responsibilities, the Knight Commission's periodic reports are widely read and taken into account by decision-making bodies. Beginning in 1991, the Knight Commission called for greater faculty…

Despite comprehensive school reform (CSR) model developers' best intentions to make school stakeholders adhere strictly to the implementation of model components, school stakeholders implementing CSR models inevitably make adaptations to the CSR model. Adaptations are made to CSR models because school stakeholders internalize CSR model practices…

The Program for Faculty Study in a Second Discipline at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign was designed to encourage interdisciplinary activity among faculty with tenure or on the tenure track. Faculty may request released time for the purpose of enlarging the range of their knowledge by a study of disciplines other than those in their…

Compares faculty and administrator attitudes on the importance of institutional activities in two-year colleges, based on responses from 358 administrators and faculty from 58 institutions. Discusses five points that may help guide efforts to implement institutional effectiveness (IE) activities, including the fact that faculty and administrative…

This report asserts that the institutionalization of scholarship, namely research and professional development is essential to the future success of community colleges. However, at two-year institutions, there is no systematic planning or budgetary network for such activities, and the obstacles to performing research are many, including limited…

This study examined: first, the impetuses college faculty respond to as they propose new degree programs; and, second, whether these impetuses can be correlated with the components of either resource dependence or institutional theory. It also examined implications of "vertical extension" (whereby institutions extend their academic…

This document is a report on the City College of San Francisco Decision Support System (DSS). The DSS is a Web-based information system, designed to provide quick access to college information and services for students, faculty, and staff. It includes data on student demographics, course offerings, productivity of departments, student success…

A study was conducted at San Joaquin Delta College (SJDC) to determine whether its present calendar, based on the traditional semester system, should be abandoned in favor of either the quarter or the early semester calendars. The study involved: (1) contacting employers to determine the effect of a calendar change on student employment, (2)…

Ways in which a publication on sex discrimination has been used by colleges and universities are described. The publication is entitled "The Classroom Climate: A Chilly One for Women?" In addition to identifying over 35 kinds of behaviors by which faculty may treat men and women students differently, the publication discussed in this document…

A study of the non-punitive grading system at Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC) was undertaken to assess the impact on student performance of X (assigned in lieu of F), W (withdrawal), and I (incomplete) grades, and other institutions' perceptions and use of these grades in considering KVCC transfer students for admission. KVCC Student…

This report presents the results of a study conducted by the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada to review the university's policies towards those groups within Canadian society which have low participation rates in post-secondary education. Following the introduction, the section, "Accessibility and the University of Winnipeg,"…

A project was undertaken by Coahoma Junior College (CJC) during 1980 to strengthen its institutional research and planning efforts in the areas of adult and continuing education. During the course of the year-long project, a consultation team led by two nationally prominent, retired educators carried out a series of planning activities, which…

As part of a project at Mount Hood Community College (MHCC) to create Program Assessment Documents for instructional and student service programs, this report focuses on the medical secretary program. With an initial section narrating study findings, the document includes five sections. Part II examines program size in terms of (1)…

Marketing in the business world has long used focus group interviews and survey techniques to explore the attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions of their customers. In the college setting, these same techniques are now being used to improve program quality, assess the effectiveness of publications, and explore the image of the college. At Durham…