Administrative computing in higher education and its implications for the management of colleges and universities are explored. The evolution of administrative computing is traced from the use of minicomputers to the implementation of a management information system. (Author/SF)

Copyright issues are discussed in the context of expanding use of digital media for publication and dissemination of information. Issues reviewed include conflict of academic values and copyright, the challenge of copyright protection for digital works, and the applicable law. Several scenarios illustrate specific legal problems. (MSE)

The use of management information systems (MIS) in higher education is discussed. It is suggested that the value of MIS in higher education is its potential utility in effective political position-building rather than conventional problem-solving. (BH)

The University of Rochester's experience with online analytical processing (OLAP), part of its executive information system, is reported. The server, a multiuser, local area network (LAN)-based database loaded from legacy systems or a data warehouse, can rapidly manipulate and display data, and allows quick creation and changing of analytical…

A Task Force of 21 people representing faculty, department chairmen, and administrators at Amarillo College (AC) was organized into committees to investigate the use of the computer at AC and future data processing needs in areas of instructional support, administrative support, and equipment and software selection. Compared to computer…

The development of a computer-based administrative system at the University of Albany--The Dictionary/Directory Facility-- is described. This system is viewed as a dynamic one that can function in an environment characterized by change. (SF)

A student information system, repository of most essential customer information and registration data, is especially vulnerable to data corruption because of its many different users. A hypothetical case illustrates how service to a college applicant can be compromised by inattention in system use. Specific areas of system vulnerability are noted,…

Internal institutional auditing can improve effectiveness and efficiency and protect an institution's assets. Many of the concepts and techniques used to analyze higher education institutions are qualitative in nature and suited to institutional research, including fiscal, operational, data-processing, investigative, management consulting,…

A major information systems planning study undertaken by Boston University and recommendations that were made to enable the university to meet the new demands and changing priorities of educational management are discussed. (BH)

Concerns about published comparisons of colleges and universities are organized into a framework to guide further research. A systematic method for addressing specific issues about the guides is presented, and the environment in which the guides are used is examined. Research needed to assure that the guides make a valued contribution and are fair…

College and university institutional researchers can use unemployment insurance wage and related files to describe and compare students' workplace status before, during, and after enrollment. However, some issues must be addressed, including data delays, uncovered employment and other work status, confidentiality of records, information…