Four developments have made strategic planning and information-based management necessary in higher education: changing external conditions; demands for accountability; deteriorating financial strength; and need for changes in leadership roles. Although institutional situations and needs vary, what is most important is to learn to manage with…

This paper argues that chaos theory may be a an appropriate framework for strategic planing in higher education and presents a brief case study of a strategic planning process underway at Blue Ridge Community College (BRCC) in Virginia where chaos theory is in use. Chaos theory holds that many seemingly random activities and systems evidence…

This paper addresses the problem of shaping new strategies in the face of current enrollment declines at many colleges and universities. It describes an approach that applies a long term planning model that can incorporate the short-term realities of lower enrollments and budget constraints with projections for new strategic initiatives. The paper…

This six-part report describes the recently developed 5-year strategic plan of action for Colorado Northwestern Community College (CNCC), reviewing the mission and goals of the college, stating 21 organizational objectives in order of priority, and detailing implementation activities for each of the 5 years of the plan. Part I provides a brief…

The internal assessment process described in this report was initiated at the Wilmington/Stanton Campus of Delaware Technical and Community College in 1985 in preparation for a reaccreditation study and in response to a climate of rapid internal and external change. Following introductory comments on the campus, the purpose of the internal…

After discussing current community college financial problems, this paper examines the acquisition of alternative funding through the application of marketing strategies and strategic planning. The paper first differentiates marketing from sales or promotion and then describes the ability of a marketing program to attract new consumers and to…

The modular administrative structure implemented at Grand Valley State Colleges in 1973 is described as a system in which administrative affairs are divided into functional self-contained units called modules, each of which has a head or acting head who is responsible for the management of the functions contained within the module. A long-range…

The role and actions of the University of Michigan Board of Regents in planning for retrenchment and reallocation of resources during a 1980 financial crisis are chronicled. Reactions of faculty, administrators, and others are discussed. (MSE)

This paper proposes a five-part formula for conducting an environmental scan for community colleges and writing up the results. To fulfill its mission effectively, administrators should be informed about various aspects of the community they serve. The formula is designed to make the project as easy as possible, focused, and usable the next time…

This document reports on the status of recommendations of the Citizen's Commission on the Future of Oklahoma Higher Education in two sections - one on implementation of recommendations and one on institutional impact. In Section 1, each recommendation is followed by a listing of specific state level implementation achievements. The 44…

This paper reviews and synthesizes the literature on institutional support for student assessment, offering an organizing framework for using this information to shape institutional policies, processes, and practices in ways that lead to both improved student performance and institutional functioning. The framework, first, involves the overall…

The themes of the 1982 annual conference of the American Association of University Professors are outlined. They include the importance of planning, selective versus across-the-board retrenchment strategies, definitions and problems of financial exigency, program reduction, and affirmative action claims. (MSE)

Strategic decision-making as a part of the higher education planning process is becoming more dependent upon data elements external to the institution. The context in which postsecondary education takes place, the maturation of the planning function, and the challenge to management systems for postsecondary education are discussed. (Author/MLW)

To determine what small colleges are doing and what they ought to be doing about institutional advancement, 170 small college institutional advancement offices throughout the country were surveyed. Some guidelines for effectiveness include: documented college purpose, a commitment to advancement, adequate budget, monitor productivity,…

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.…