The key to making optimal use of time, energy, and institutional resources in college and university technology planning is to understand important differences between long-term socioeconomic planning and short-term operational planning. A ten-step procedure that focuses on process rather than product, and allows ready reallocation of resources as…

The planning assumptions on which Oberlin College's computer support staff encouraged incorporation of microcomputer use on campus are outlined and discussed, including computers as a higher education resource, networks, institutional planning considerations, encouraging staff and faculty participation, and computer staff support efforts. (MSE)

California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo is exploring several cost-effective technological solutions to improve learning productivity, reduce labor intensity, and provide new ways to deliver education and better services to students while enhancing quality of instruction. Strategic planning and partnerships have been key…

Many small, private colleges lack the resources to develop a planning, management and evaluation (PME) system and the result is planning becomes a neglected function. An in-depth study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the Detroit Institute of Technology is described. (MLW)

The experience of a small liberal arts college in trying to develop a usable and understandable planning, management, and evaluation (PME) system is described. PME tasks in small colleges center upon selecting starting points, demonstrating how different procedures can facilitate operations and decision making, and educating people. (Author/MLW)

Eight public universities in Mississippi and the State Board of Trustees are committed to the development of a statewide management information system. The background of the project and the progress made during the first two years are described. (Author/MLW)

A framework and a derivative course of action to higher education institutions as they move through transition from an industrial to technological society are presented with reference to Alvin Toffler's "The Third Wave." The concept of equilibrium/disequilibrium is the theoretical basis of the framework. Three models demonstrate the…

The pressures of continued budgetary constraints will be felt at every level of the academic community and responses to these pressures will determine the complexion of private higher education. Responsive management is discussed in terms of information systems and communication. The structure and process of institution-wide planning are charted.…

Current issues that are important for the future of information resources management in higher education are presented. They include: integrating planning for information resources within institution-wide strategic planning; reengineering fundamental services; change management; distributed computing support; networking; the changing communication…

The University of Phoenix (Arizona) is a private, for-profit institution whose mission is to provide education for working adults only. Through innovative methods, including distance education, teleconferencing, and directed study, it offers access in all 50 states and foreign countries. Strategic planning and establishment of networking…

An institutionwide strategic planning effort at Central Michigan University, in response to a need for rapid and significant changes in its information technology infrastructure, is outlined. The effort resulted in a matrix governance structure for information technology that acknowledges the value of both distributed support and a strong central…

Beginning with a request for an enhanced system for decision/strategic planning support, the University of Chicago's biological sciences division has developed a range of administrative client/server tools, instituted a capital replacement plan for desktop technology, and created a planning and staffing approach enabling rapid introduction of new…

Outlines some of the major factors and issues a college or university needs to address in planning for and implementing distance education. It is proposed that such planning and implementation should be conducted simultaneously and be integrated into the fabric of the institution as seamlessly as possible. Considerations such as budgeting,…

The steps taken toward office automation by the University of Maryland are described. Office automation is defined and some types of word processing systems are described. Policies developed in the writing of a campus plan are listed, followed by a section on procedures adopted to implement the plan. (Author/MLW)

Suggests a methodology, enterprise process engineering, for rethinking business processes and applying them to higher education, either across the institution or at the department level. Nine steps for ensuring a successful effort are presented, followed by a discussion of critical success factors and the benefits of this method. (Author/MSE)