Increasing demands for accurate forecasts in such areas as student enrollment, energy expenditures, and facility capacity are placing new demands on the institutional researcher. A variety of forecasting models and methods are available, all to be used with caution in long-range forecasting. (Author/MSE)

Proposes that the nature of institutional research has expanded as colleges and universities adapt to new challenges and conditions and that institutional researchers need to become knowledge industry analysts. Reviews the history of institutional research and identifies 21st century challenges, such as changing patterns of diversity and academic…

The planning processes that focus on the need to gain consensus among potential planners are described. The scenarios resulting from these processes gain their value not from some objective estimate of their validity but from the commitment and involvement of the participants. (MLW)

Work on financial indicators for colleges and universities aimed at clarifying perception and making judgments of financial distress more credible is seen as deserving serious attention. But the use of indicators as a management tool is seen as questionable. (MLW)

One of a series of papers resulting from a Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) project to improve evaluation and planning in community colleges, this report provides information and guidance for conducting large-group, strategic planning in a community college. The report begins with general comments on planning, focusing…

Scanning the external environment will become more essential to colleges in the coming decade. Developing an environmental scanning system can identify important emerging issues that may constitute either threats or opportunities. The organizational features of a mature scanning process are described. (MLW)

West German use of performance indicators in higher education administration was studied in terms of differences between politically expressed intentions and actual application of the measures in institutional planning. Resource allocations was examined as one area of divergent developments. (MSE)

Principles of developing a comprehensive planning model for a college are considered, and experiences in using the strategic planning model at Cardinal Stritch College (Wisconsin) are addressed. Important components of the planning process are articulating a mission, determining parameters and objectives while completing internal and external…

This proceedings report describes exercises used in a workshop on environmental scanning, designed to assist institutional research officers to develop competency in establishing and maintaining an external analysis capability on their campuses. The workshop offered an opportunity for participants to experience several techniques used in…

Factors important to assessing community college enrollment trends and the future implications of these trends are discussed. Changes in college student characteristics included an increased percentage of women and part-time students, increased student age, and more vocational programs. Colleges must monitor their enrollments using existing…

The development of a predictive equation capable of explaining a significant percentage of enrollment variability at Florida International University is described. A model utilizing trend analysis and a multiple regression approach to enrollment forecasting was adapted to investigate enrollment dynamics at the university. Four independent…

Linking planning, assessment, and budgeting is vital to the well-being of a college or university. Planning and assessment enable an institution to make decisions about day-to-day activities and future goals, revising them as experience suggests. Resource allocation is what converts the decisions and goals into actions. (MLW)

Trends in higher education performance assessment are examined, and implications for college planners are considered. Issues discussed include the origins of the trends, areas of assessment focus (student measures, interinstitutional comparison, accountability), and general considerations in approaching assessment. Planners are encouraged to take…

The development of institutional performance indicators in higher education is viewed as part of a broader approach to management information and decision making. The experience of the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems in developing useful information from raw data, selecting appropriate performance indicators, and applying…

Successful college enrollment management requires information about the institution's image, effectiveness of recruiting activities, role of financial aid, student persistence, and alumni success. Enrollment managers must review the literature, develop a performance monitoring system, construct longitudinal cohort tracking files, identify student…