This article addresses some of the contextual factors that influence faculty evaluation in a small, church-related liberal arts college and identifies five areas in which structural and normative constraints of the institution may affect individual faculty ratings. Provides recommendations for preparing evaluations which minimize the impact of…

Presents methods and findings of a study of finances, programs, costs, curriculum, and innovative practices at 160 small rural colleges, including comparative data on a small sample of nonrural and large community colleges. Finds small colleges receiving special consideration from funding sources and program diversity related to enrollment size.…

Recent emphasis placed on the cost effectiveness of larger colleges and larger classes is criticized from the point of view that student involvement is more valuable but is difficult to achieve under such circumstances. (MSE)

Characteristics of successful small-college administration are identified: entrepreneurial spirit, intuitive decision-making, an effective intelligence-gathering network, planning for the future using analogies from the past, and a penchant for keeping options open. (Author/MLW)

This study developed and tested a method to determine how well each two-year institution in a state system is in preparing students for the successful completion of four-year college study and how successful each four-year institution is in graduating students from the two-year colleges that transfer to it. The study used data provided by the…

The mission of the Oglala Lakota College is to establish and operate certificate- and degree-granting postsecondary institutions on Pine Ridge Reservation. The purposes of the college include tribal, cultural, academic, and community concerns. This booklet presents the 25-year history of the college; the historical struggle of the Lakota (Sioux)…

This report profiles baccalaureate colleges, examining the elements that combine to create their special educational environment. Based on data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) surveys conducted by the U.S. Department of Education and the "Campus Trends" reports published by the American Council on Education, it…

A study explored the impact of participation in a peer mentoring program upon student retention at a small liberal arts college in the Midwest. Previous studies linked communication competence with participation in a mentoring relationship and student retention, so students' communicative adaptability scores were utilized to discover antecedent…

A study examined the extent to which professional development could address faculty's concerns about the use of educational technology. The professional development took the form of a series of activities designed to assist college faculty in integrating technology into the curriculum. Subjects, 60 full-time and adjunct faculty at a small liberal…

Small colleges' and universities' personnel organizations have major differences in needs and functions, but small colleges can take practical measures to handle their needs, including: direct lines of authority from the president, preparation of a staff handbook, and use of consultants, professional associations, written resources, training…

The planning and implementation of a computerized management information system at a fictional small college is described. Nine key points are made regarding department involvement, centralization, gradual program implementation, lowering costs, system documentation, and upper-level administrative support. (MSE)

It is the president's job to point out, remind, persuade, suggest new ideas, and identify places where improvement is needed or the operation is not yet satisfactory. Knowing when to accept the presidency, what to do while there, and when to leave are important job aspects. (MSE)

Describes Southeastern Community College's efforts to focus on the arts, which included a campus visit by the artist Kenneth Larson and events centered on his Heroic Individual prints; a performing arts series supported by local corporations; an Associate in Fine Arts degree; regular art exhibits; and an artist-in-residence program. (DMM)

Studies organizational problems which are unique to small/rural colleges. Suggests four basic guidelines for organizing the college in order that management responsibilities can be met: employment of administrative generalists, judicious use of paraprofessional, cooperation and collaboration of nearby institutions, and abolishment of traditional…

Management information systems are explained and their use by small colleges is discussed. The Columbus Technical Institute Management Information System is described as a first step in providing data processing for higher education. (BH)