In spite of substantial investment in retention in Indiana higher education, there have been only a few well-designed studies that evaluate the effects of these interventions.

This chapter describes the National Student Clearinghouse and discusses opportunities and challenges for tracking community college students. It also presents a system perspective on using clearinghouse data to promote more comprehensive student and graduate tracking. (Contains 2 tables.)

The vast amount of research conducted on student persistence over the past thirty years is indicative of the continuing and evolving interest in retention of students. Framed through multiple perspectives, this retention research is driven by the fact that more students leave institutions without graduating, year after year. Much more than an…

Asera assesses the challenges that community colleges face in educating students in basic skills. For a significant group of college students the seemingly automatic skills of literacy and numeracy have become opaque, creating a particular challenge for community colleges, 98 percent of which offer at least one remedial reading, writing or…

This chapter examines lessons learned by states that are using student unit record (SUR) data to improve outcomes for community college students and recommends steps states can take to strengthen their use of SUR databases to benefit students and communities. (Contains 1 exhibit.)

In 1964, the Division of Instructional Services established a longitudinal and developmental research project entitled "Biography of a Class." The purpose of the project is to describe, in detail, characteristics of the students attending the State University of New York at Buffalo, to provide information about students to faculty, administration,…

In the fall of 1971, a survey instrument calling for respondents to give basic data about themselves (race, sex, age), to indicate their educational status (class in college), to indicate their educational plans, and to give other related information was administered to entering students in selected private colleges and universities throughout…

Explains a new technique designed not only to pinpoint the home location of its student body for recruiting purposes, but also enables a college or university to study academic, social and economic factors of its student body. (HS)

Procedures used at the University of Maryland for providing statistics on racial composition. (HS)

This manuscript uses a case study of a faith-based student organization to explore the interrelationship between student involvement and mobilization in student organizations. The authors explore the types of co-curricular offerings students perceive to be especially meaningful and document ways effective organizations mobilize students to enact…

In the fall of 1971, a survey instrument calling for respondents to give basic data about themselves (race, sex, age), to indicate their educational status (class in college), to report their long-range educational plans, and to give other related information was administered to entering students throughout the Florida State University System. A…

Conceptual and methodological recommendations for enhancing research on the influences of college on students are offered, including isolating net college effects, studying the timing of change, estimating college effect sizes, examining direct and conditional effects, and the potential benefits of qualitative approaches. Areas for future inquiry…

Describes researching and writing institutional histories and focuses on preparing a history of the psychology department. Provides time requirements for the research; project formats; sources for historical information; and methods for doing historical research. Reports on the benefits students and faculty derived from the projects. (DB)

Provides examples of successful student affairs research, evaluation and assessment efforts, looking at how the collaboration between student affairs research and institutional research can be increased and improved. Focuses on the importance of: understanding the student and the educational environment; using outcome-driven assessment; including…

A student affairs researcher and institutional researcher discuss how their perspectives and approaches are both similar and different and how collaboration has enriched their work together. Focuses on: the political climate within which research exists; the mission and goals of the research; use of theory; research methods; reporting and…