Research approaches to the complex issues related to college teaching and learning are discussed. Topics covered include: research itself (why improvement is needed, potential targets for improvement, types of research, and an integrated strategy for productive research); the learning activity; the teaching activity; learners; teachers;…

As part of a multi-phase, multi-method study of the House Plan concept at Cypress College in California, this report explores faculty attitudes toward various aspects of the college as well as the House Plan itself. A random sample of 100 faculty members, stratified along division lines, were sent a brief, open-ended questionnaire soliciting…

Student and faculty attitudes about faculty evaluation and the relationship of the attitudes to the concept of locus of control were investigated. Student respondents consisted of 172 males and 256 females, and 108 faculty responses were received. The measure of locus of control closely resembles the Rotter Internal-External Control Scale. Student…

In a study of administrative effectiveness, a total of 103 academic department heads in four universities rated a set of 15 administrative activities as to their importance. Faculty members in the 1,333 departments used the same set of activities to rate both the importance they should be given by the department head and the effectiveness with…

This first annual publication from the University of Mississippi's Bureau of Institutional Research and Planning summarizes data concerning the university's academic operations in the immediately preceding academic year. The report provides both an historical context in which to review the university's development and a realistic set of…

The Fact Book is compiled annually to help meet statistical information requirements for planning and analysis at all levels of the university. Its definitions, formats, and contents have evolved over the years in response to changing campus information needs. This seventh edition contains historical data on student enrollment, faculty and support…

A survey of higher education programs found that nine of the programs offer an area of concentration in institutional research and 17 programs have an institutional research core course. These programs are identified and the content of the curriculum is described. Planning topics received the most emphasis in courses. (Author/MLW)

IN 1980, the president of Trenton State College directed the administrators for admissions, college relations, planning, and institutional research to develop and implement a marketing program to raise the average total SAT scores of entering freshmen from 927 to 1000. The accomplishment of this goal is described. (MLW)

A strong institutional self-study will focus on five questions: (1) Is the school meeting its declared purpose? (2) Is the study objective? (3) Does it show an intent to improve the institution? (4) Does it help enhance the institution's distinctiveness while maintaining programatic balance? and (5) Does it see self-renewal as ongoing in the…

This report profiles 19 public two-year colleges in the state of New Jersey. Each profile includes the number of students, faculty and trustees, and the ratio of full-time to part-time faculty at each college. Student characteristics such as gender, ethnicity, full-time or part-time status, financial assistance received, graduation and transfer…

Many of the services, functions, and publications of Research and Planning at Nova Southeastern University, Florida, were studied. The evaluation was aimed at university improvement and to meet the requirements of the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools that each institution examine the effectiveness of its…

Results of a follow-up study of the same students used in the Feldman study indicate that individual student evaluations are remarkably stable over time and more reliable than previously assumed. There was systematic information in individual student ratings that internal consistency approaches have ignored or assumed to be nonexistent.…

The University of California at Berkeley must appoint 1,543 new faculty between 1987 and 2006. Potential shortage of faculty and scarce resources has led to policy analysis of the management of faculty positions. The institutional culture of decentralized decision making and significant faculty involvement has led to development of a new…

Uses of the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education and Faculty and Institutional Inventories by Alverno College (Wisconsin), American Association of State Colleges and Universities, College of Marin (California), Columbia College (Michigan), University of Maryland, and Wayne State College (Nebraska) illustrate their…

Although most community college faculty are not engaged in research, community college settings can provide research opportunities for those faculty members determined to overcome the considerable obstacles. At Whatcom Community College, in Washington, for example, constraints facing faculty seeking to conduct research include limited access to…