This document presents the final report of a 3-year self-study of Bethany Nazarene College which focuses on self-evaluation and planning for the decade of the 70's. Seven areas were studied: philosophy and objectives, instruction, students, faculty, physical facilities, business and finance, and administration. A steering committee developed…

Statistical analysis must be approached rationally and with intent. The application of statistical analysis under the guise of the classical experimental paradigm when the underlying statistical assumptions are not met, as is often the case in institutional research, is neither efficient nor likely to produce useful results. (Author/MSE)

The author proposes the creation of a new type of independent research institution which would have a special relationship with universities. (Editor)

The necessity for institutional reform and the crisis of the university are discussed. (DB)

College and university research units should be crucial instrumentalities for the determination of institutional priorities and management objectives. (Author)

Serial Evaluation Activities (SEAs) are series' of focused evaluational studies, each dealing with a well-defined "component unit" within a complex project. Strategies for enhancing timeliness in SEAs include a comprehensive conceptual framework, a permanent institutional setting, a prearranged sample plan, utilization of item banks, and…

Summarizes characteristics of the higher education landscape and provides an overview of considerations of common interest to institutional researchers at colleges and universities serving diverse populations. (EV)

As institutions increasingly turn to alumni to provide services to their alma maters in such areas as volunteering, donating, networking, and lobbying, alumni research becomes a high priority in academic administration. The term alumni is defined, parameters for alumni research are proposed and uses of such research are described. (MLW)

An Ohio research project is documenting the perceptions of college/university faculty and administrators (n=25) regarding the institutional factors that inhibit or facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration among their own educational preparation programs. This presentation is based on a preliminary analysis of available data. (PB)

The work of a committee of college institutional researchers to create a professional code of ethics is chronicled, and the code's structure is described briefly. Issues encountered in and assumptions underlying the effort are discussed, including the rationale for such a code, definition of technical standards, terminology, and scope. (MSE)

An open-systems framework is used to describe how institutional researchers analyze the inputs, processes, outputs, and environmental considerations of higher education; resources for collecting and analyzing data are specified. Additional resources for institutional research professionals are listed. (MSE)

A comprehensive information resource management system is the key to the future of quality data management. Instituting and developing the system requires a major commitment from institutional leadership. The institutional researcher can take steps to solve some of the initial problems and increase institutional awareness for the systems'…

Although each higher education institutional research office has a unique style and mission, their commonalities suggest guidelines for establishing effective units, including placement high in the organizational structure, consistent attention given to first-order data responsibilities (collection, reporting), attention to institutional needs, a…