There is little doubt about it: Colleges and universities are reluctant to change. They are large and diffuse organizations with few clear lines of control. Yet the external environment in which colleges and universities operate is changing quickly. The changes make it essential for institutions to implement at least some aspects of strategic…

Discusses two techniques of systems analysis--Critical Path Method (CPM) and Program Evaluation Review Techniques (PERT)--and their place in library management. An overview of CPM and PERT charting procedures is provided. (11 references) (Author/MES)

Transitional care encompasses a broad range of services and environments designed to promote the safe and timely passage of patients between levels of health care and across care settings. High-quality transitional care is especially important for older adults with multiple chronic conditions and complex therapeutic regimens, as well as for their…

The article examines a relatively new tool to increase the effectiveness of organizations and people. The recent development and background of Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is reviewed. Basic assumptions of the model are discussed. Implications for departments and divisions of student affairs are analyzed. Finally, suggested readings and workshop…

This paper describes the process for expanding an existing ten year study abroad program between two universities, the University of Texas Pan American, Edinburg, Texas, and the Leuphana University, Lueneburg, Germany. The model for this reciprocal educational program will include a process for enrollment, suggested curricula, course scheduling,…

Increasingly, institutions of higher education are required to evaluate student progress and programme effectiveness through implementation of performance assessment practices. Faculty members frequently resist performance assessment because of concerns that assessment activities will increase workloads, reduce time for scholarly activities,…

While the interview remains the most relevant process by which information about an applicant can be obtained, the effective school administrator must recognize that the interview process is much more than exploring an applicant's qualifications, skills, and experiences. The interview must also be utilized as a means of leading. In other words,…

Planning, opening, and bringing to life a new institution of higher education is a challenging undertaking. At UC Merced, it has been a daunting and exhilarating experience for its founding administration, faculty, staff, and students. Campus pioneers had no road map, no playbook to tell them how to plan and build in the twenty-first century a…

This article describes Outcome-Oriented Operations (Tri-O[superscript 3]), a system developed at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, which enables an office to identify and achieve specific, measurable outcomes. Tri-O[superscript 3] was implemented in the University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions with significant success. (Contains 3…

This article presents working definitions of efficiency, accountability, and quality, offering a framework in which an individual institution can make idiosyncratic use of these definitions, suggests tools for managing educational processes with respect to these three attributes, and presents examples of how institutions have improved efficiency,…

The top priority for college and university administrators should be to ensure that their instructional programs, and thus their entire institutions, are managed in the most efficient and effective manner possible. Proper management of fiscal resources determines the degree to which institutions are open and affordable. Review of the current…

A rapidly changing global economy, shifting demographics, and concerns about our ability to maintain a competitive workforce have focused national attention on the educational systems of America's states, highlighting their critical role in ensuring a productive and creative future for our country. As a result, Americas colleges and universities…

More and more high schools are implementing Advisory programs for a variety of reasons: personalization, academics & study skills, life success skills, self-knowledge, addressing the concern about students feeling "lost" in the high school setting, first line of contact for the parents, and portfolios. But finding a way to schedule advisory can…

Describes structured care approaches, such as protocols, clinical pathways, and algorithms, which are being used increasingly to organize clinical knowledge and guide patient care. Reviews the types of structured care approaches available to the clinician and explores the value of structured care approaches in practice and education. (Contains 32…

The University of Wisconsin-Stout, recipient of the Baldrige National Quality Award in 2001, developed a planning system that has evolved into a comprehensive and collaborative process for visioning, developing and implementing goals, and tracking university performance. This chapter describes the tactics that have contributed greatly to the…