"Building Institutional Capacity for Data-Informed Decision Making" is the third installment of the Cutting Edge series, which aims to help colleges engage faculty, scale successful interventions, and create a strong culture of evidence through use of data to strengthen their institutional change and student success efforts. Though the…

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.…

Considers leadership development and research as two ways of improving institutional decision making. Proposes an agenda for future development to strengthen the financial management of the nation's community, technical, and junior colleges. (AYC)

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 paper discusses the role that the Office of Institutional Research and Strategic Planning played in providing data support, planning, and cohesiveness as Utah Valley Community College worked to become Utah Valley State College. The two tier model adopted at Utah Valley State College aspires to describe a cost-effective four-year college with…

This article details the four-year implementation of Total Quality Management at Delaware County Community College (Pennsylvania) to conserve resources, improve effectiveness, assure quality, and increase participation in decision making. Reported are planning, execution, and monitoring activities of the Implementation Team; specific problems…

Offers examples of research efforts undertaken at Miami-Dade Community College to analyze the college preparatory program, considering early research using placement test scores, research using college-preparatory course enrollment data, and most recent research using a longitudinal database. Argues that the research process must proceed with…

Offers a historical overview of the changing emphases of institutional research in community colleges during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Identifies key areas for institutional research (e.g., access and quality, employer needs, technological advances, and changing conditions in the external environment). Advocates proactive planning through…

Presents an annotated bibliography of ERIC materials, covering problems, practices, and priorities in institutional research; the role of the institutional research office; and research guidelines and procedures. (DMM)

Reports and abstracts of research studies conducted by members of the Research Committee of the Texas Association of Junior and Community College Instructional Administrators are provided. Section I presents the following reports: "A Learner Analysis Experiment: Cognitive Style versus Learning Style in Undergraduate Nursing Education,"…

A study examined the extent to which social and academic integration and student educational objectives were predictive of persistence for 1,142 community college students. Student educational objectives discriminated most powerfully between persisters and nonpersisters. Academic and social integration and employment status were also significant…

Describes how formative data on enrollment patterns and class offerings are collected and used at Oklahoma City Community College in marketing and scheduling. Evaluates the research effort in terms of its value in long-range strategic planning and managed decision making in day-to-day activities. (DMM)

Argues that community college vitality is directly proportional to the integration of the comfort and confidence levels of personnel involved in public relations, institutional research, and college leadership. Considers Miami-Dade Community College's use of data on student demographics, achievement test results, student satisfaction, and…

Describes the context for current intense interest in educational effectiveness, presents basic steps in assessing institutional effectiveness (i.e., developing meaningful statements of institutional mission and goals, designing and implementing an institutional planning process, and identifying indicators of effectiveness), and discusses the…

A study of program review at 156 community colleges shows that it is widely used for accountability and program improvement; that substantial use is made of results; and that key leadership support, organizational communication, a clear understanding of purposes, and frequent action on program review recommendations at all organizational levels…