Describes a study of the nature and extent of community colleges' involvement in needs assessment practices. Presents findings with respect to institutional characteristics and settings, extent of involvement, need assessment projects' characteristics and impacts, and the relationship between institutional characteristics and the extent of…

Discusses trends in two-year college research, defines research, and poses questions that must be answered before research can be used effectively in management. Outlines steps in a decision-making system that converts data into planning concepts. Explains the need for a master plan and describes the master-planning process. (DD)

A long-range planning committee was established in fall 1980 at William Rainey Harper College (WRHC) to coordinate planning efforts and develop specific projects and long-range plans for the college. After 11 meetings, during which past institutional goals were considered and various institutional reports were reviewed, two long-range goals were…

Argues that community colleges must be able to incorporate information about themselves and their clientele into delivery systems, operational strategies, and strategic planning. Underscores the importance of program evaluation in institutional planning and of needs assessments as a vital communications process between service area and college.…

The portfolio approach to evaluation can be a useful method of screening and comparing educational programs in terms of their productivity and potential. In the field of investments, portfolio analysis consists of identifying the relative strengths of assets in terms of the dimensions of return and potential for growth. College programs can be…

The report summarizes the preliminary findings from the Institutional Self-Study Follow-Up Survey of the faculty, administrators, staff, and students at South Texas Community College (STCC). The follow-up study was intended to address areas that were found to be of sufficient concern in the committee reports of the original Self-Study Survey as to…

Argues that community college survival requires reliable information about environmental factors, trends, and changes. Reviews the use of strategic planning and change strategies. Considers the best way to organize an information-gathering unit, where to place it in the school's organizational structure, and how to staff it. (WL)

Cites and provides annotations for eight documents and five journal articles from the ERIC collection dealing with institutional research in the two-year college. (AYC)

Discusses the following factors influencing the role of community college institutional researchers: the current emphasis on proposal writing and grant management, fiscal constraints, mission expansion, marketing, program evaluations, faculty/administrator relations, institutional credibility and change, college planning, and issues of the 1980s.…

Relates decision making to institutional research. Describes the development of the institutional research function in community colleges. Recommends professional development for institutional researchers. Reviews the literature on administrative use of institutional research and defines management. Discusses the role of research in planning,…

An effective environmental scan will improve the quality of community college planning and decision making by alerting institutional leaders to the challenges and opportunities in the environment. Scanning can be done in three ways: (1) establishing a scanning committee to gather and synthesize information to guide planning; (2) sponsoring a…

Focus group research, which involves the exploration of a carefully selected research question by a group of homogeneous subjects, is a qualitative research tool which seems to be a quick and easy means of staying abreast of the educational needs and expectations of community colleges. However, it is difficult to moderate focus groups and…

By helping to concentrate the efforts of all organizational units on institutional goals, by establishing research-based information systems, and by learning to allocate scarce resources efficiently, institutional researchers can offer numerous benefits for the management and operation of 2-year colleges. A comprehensive institutional research…

Presents a model of community college decision making based on institutional research illustrated using a case study of Pueblo Community College (Colorado). Describes three stages of an action plan including curriculum renewal, development of assessment and remediation services, and image improvement. Reviews results of research-based activities…

This compilation of reports from Southeast Community College in Kentucky includes the 1998-99 Annual Report, the 1997-98 Enrollment Report, the 1999-2000 Annual Plan, and Action Strategies for 1999-2000. Sections include: (1) Message from the president (cover letter, mission statement, and vision statement); (2) Annual report 1998-1999 (brief…