Fifteen National Science Foundation personnel met with Stephen Toulmin to discuss topics/issues related to pluralism and responsibility in post-modern science. Presented is an edited transcript of this roundtable/discussion (part of a series of roundtables which examined theoretical/practical aspects of how the nature of scientific progress is…

Examines what can and should be done to clarify and/or resolve scientific conflicts with policy implications. Includes a typology for classifying controversies, mechanisms, and objectives with regard to scientific disputes with policy implications. This apparatus aims to show the differences in disputes and in approaches to deal with them. (JN)

Discusses two views of the relationship between technical issues and policy decisions. Also discusses the "burden-of-proof" issue, distributional issues, and issues related to public participation and decision making. Indicates a need for greater introspection into nontechnical values and preferences affecting the selection of evidence and its…

Two politically oriented factors are cited as major impediments to effective conveyance of evaluation findings to decision makers. The first factor, relevance, includes the elements of timing and matching of perceptions. The second, constituency support, includes recognition of reference groups and political benefits. (Author/LC)

A policy system design that can benefit from the dynamics of small group behavior without suffering from the adverse effects associated with group thinking, in which the members of small groups acquire a concurrence seeking tendency, is comprised of three subsystem functions: (1) a sub-system normative function which requires that small groups be…

Discusses scientific and technical information as related to the regulatory process. Examines information uses, role of the courts, current values issues in regulatory policymaking (considering funding sources, choice of projects, reporting of results, access to results and confidentiality, and separating technical and regulatory decisions), and…

Examines impact of legal counsel on student affairs practice. Uses data from 1987 study on role of counsel at U.S. colleges and universities. Describes data, with particular focus on manner in which counsel performed duties related to student issues. Eight conclusions drawn from the study are listed; recommendations and a summary are included.…

Discusses how declines in enrollments, budgets, public confidence in schooling, and the legitimacy of administrative authority have politicized the educational environment. Discusses distinctive features of politics and management of decline, how decline has prompted a policy reassessment, and competing explanations for failures and problems with…

Examined the relationship between instructional workload and budgeting of personnel positions and how this relationship changes as personnel positions become scarce. Longitudinal data suggest a direct relationship between the bureaucratic model and personnel allocations; tendencies to use the bureaucratic model increase as personnel positions…

Points out that policy decisions about nuclear weapons evolve from politics, bureaucracy, and technology, indicating that intelligent people can learn enough about technology to make judgments about policy issues. Suggests, however, that much more thinking is necessary to arrive at a coherent perspective about what constitutes nuclear weapons…

This paper provides a framework for an institutional self study integrating total quality management (TQM) and institutional effectiveness (IE) models within the context of standards of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It highlights the common dimensions in general management principles between TQM and IE and the strategies for…

Presents model curriculum for training policy gerontologists based on findings from survey of policy professionals in aging, and experience with demonstration program, which indicated the demand for policy gerontologists, specific skills training requirements, ideal personal attributes, and the importance of knowledge of the content of specific…

The Judicial Evaluation Method (JEM) is useful for aiding decision-making bodies to formulate policies. Broad public participation in complex issues is provided by JEM. (The conceptualization, policy formulation stages, and participant roles are identified; and the model is applied in two case studies). (MH)

Proposes a faculty retreat as an opportunity to approach decision-making through consensus-building strategies. Identifies four decision-making stages and outlines techniques to be used at each stage. (JM)

Using examples from the United States (U.S.) and the United Kingdom (U.K.), the authors investigate the use of special or expert commissions in government policy-making in education. They analyze such commissions' impacts, the criticisms made of them, their role in political legitimation, and some alternative instruments for policy formation.…