The purpose of this study was to examine what effect the Freshmen Interest Group (FIG) program, a variation of a non-residential learning community had on academic achievement scores and institutional rates of persistence. Study variables included: gender; race; pre-collegiate academic achievement (GPA scores); educational preferences (major…

Geographic analysis has been adopted by businesses, especially the retail sector, since the early 1990s (Thrall, 2002). Institutional research can receive the same benefits businesses have by adopting geographic analysis and technology. The commonalities between businesses and higher education institutions include the existence of trade areas, the…

Guidelines are given for producing a newsletter to provide information about campus programs, activities, and services of interest to commuting students. The following questions regarding newsletters are answered: (1) What information do commuting students need? (2) What format would be most effective? (3) How can news and articles be obtained?…

The goal of the UMaps Project at the University of Maryland, College Park, is to make a large, diverse campus seem smaller and more organized and thus more hospitable, especially to commuting students. The UMaps are a series of six comprehensive guides to academic, vocational, and co-curricular activities which list the opportunities and resources…

Youngstown State University is a predominantly commuter campus. A six-page questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 2,000 students in the fall 1976 focusing on attitudes and opinions concerning commuting and associated problems, activities, and student services. Specific areas surveyed include demographic data; general university programs,…