Given their potential, "Big Data and Analytics" can help institutions of higher education to thoroughly examine newly emerging challenges, explore and identify new ways to address them, and predict future outcomes for growth. Considering how new "Big Data and Analytics" are, existing knowledge about the potential value to…

This guidebook is designed for institutional leaders and student success teams who are ready to talk openly about the students they serve and who are eager to learn practical strategies from national experts and peer institutions. We cannot design an experience that meets our students where they are unless we holistically understand who they are.…

Explains to college/university business officers how to comply with Governmental Accounting Standards Board Statements Nos. 34, 35, and 9, which require the direct method of presenting cash flows from operating activities and reconciliation of operating cash flows to operating income by fiscal year 2001. Institutions are urged to begin immediately…

There are many ways to collect information about college teaching. Many are quick, easy, and unintrusive, and are valuable supplements to the standard source of information, student ratings. A matrix of data needs and corresponding sources of course, instructor, and student information helps refine the information gathering process. (MSE)

Benchmarking is a widespread practice in all industries today. Higher education is no exception. One need only look at annual rankings in "U.S. News and World Report" to appreciate power of benchmarking in a market-driven society that is seeking the best value in education. To the public, and even to leaders in higher education, measures…

As part of the revised method for quality assurance in higher education in England, a Task Group was established to identify the categories of data, information, and judgments about quality and standards of teaching and learning that should be available within higher education institutions (HEIs), and those that should be published. The Task Group…

The postsecondary seminars report presents the distillation of the discussions and the recommendations of approximately 115 representatives of educational institutions, associations, and State and Federal agencies attending the Postsecondary Education Seminars Conference of 1976. The conference addressed the changing nature of postsecondary…

Good computer files can help colleges find, manage, and solicit alumni volunteers. In 1978 Rhodes College began creating detailed records on alumni and friends, entering gift and biographical data, mostly in coded form, into computerized personal files. (MLW)

Assessment of college teaching is viewed broadly as the gathering of information for understanding and improving teaching as well as judging its quality. It is seen to play a crucial support role at each stage of instructional development: problem clarification, instructional design/redesign, and field testing and implementation. (MSE)

This guide, which is sent to postsecondary schools, provides them with draft cohort default rates for student loans under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. The guide is intended to assist schools in understanding how a cohort default rate is calculated, reviewing loan record…

Describes a computer program designed to manage statistics about online searches which reports the number of searches by vendor, purpose, and librarian; calculates charges to departments and individuals; and prints monthly invoices to users with standing accounts. (CLB)

Setting up a successful interinstitutional data-sharing project involves commonsense guidelines: be clear about what is wanted, take advantage of what already exists, use appropriate technology, staff adequately, recognize institutional differences, and concentrate on achieving insight rather than precision. (Author/MSE)

The National Science Foundation's effort to assess ways to improve the speed and accuracy of data collection from universities by federal agencies is discussed. Although only one phase of the project was completed, it is concluded that the issues surrounding electronic data collection have important implications for university research…

A management information system that monitors course enrollments during an institution's registration cycle is described. The registration cycle includes pre-registration demand, pre-registration scheduling, cancellation for nonpayment of bill, in-person registration, and add/drop. The information system utilizes the course registration process as…

The need for information controls for college records management programs and the elements of program organization, planning, and management are discussed. Conditions at institutions that indicate a flaw in information control are identified, along with the benefits of a sound records management program. The management of an information and…