Institutions that have organized and centralized their data enjoy an obvious advantage in grappling with strategic planning and other issues. As the drumbeat for accountability, planning, and demonstrating effectiveness to internal and external stakeholders intensifies, the stature and importance of institutional research offices on most campuses…

Distance education in its many forms had been around for decades, but the Western Governors University (WGU) was arguably the first "virtual university" (VU) in the United States, or at least the first VU that gained widespread attention from the press and public. After the governors in the Western Governors Association announced they would create…

People do not want to know the history, minutiae of policy, or operations, or even the political intrigues of a virtual consortium. People want to know if the consortium has value, whether it can help them, and if it is a threat. In this article, the author focuses on the operating principles and policies that have proven successful in the…

This case study reviews the emergence and evolution of eCore (the University System of Georgia's electronically delivered undergraduate core courses) over eight years and summarizes the issues, ongoing challenges, and lessons learned from interinstitutional collaboration in offering and administering a "virtual" shared core. The bulk of…

The organization and procedures of universities make it tempting to try to avoid contemporary challenges to graduate education. Much of the malaise in current graduate education results from a focus on the decline in resources, in the availability of conventional careers for graduates, and in the availability of talented students. (Author/MLW)

The power and authority of the graduate school can affect the quality of graduate programs in schools of education and the freedom to innovate them. Schools of education are creating programs in nontraditional areas, establishing relationships with other departments, and recruiting and supporting students outside school-related areas. (Author/MLW)

The humanities have initiated a four-part strategy to deal with the shortage of jobs for individuals with graduate credentials including: concentrating their effort in traditional areas of study, creating new, innovative fields of study, creating new options, and embarking on an "awareness program." (Author/MLW)

Although much federal support for higher education exists, its relationship to developing innovative programs is different among various fields and disciplines. The role and influence of the federal government on innovation in graduate programs is discussed. (Author/MLW)

Eckerd College overcame its financial and enrollment problems through a comprehensive strategy involving creation of a multigenerational learning community, improvement of the overall college environment for education, generation of substantial revenues from new sources, and reduction of expenditures. (MSE)