Evaluation designs for social programs are developed assuming minimal or no disruption from external shocks, such as natural disasters. This is because extremely rare shocks may not make it worthwhile to account for them in the design. Among extreme shocks is the 2010 Chile earthquake. Un Buen Comienzo (UBC), an ongoing early childhood program in…

Issues faced by institutions in many countries in a time of declining funding and increasing demands on higher education are discussed, including national and local academic planning approaches, institutional responsiveness to societal and industry demands, and problems inherent in program discontinuance. (Report of a May 1982 international OECD…

How institutional research can improve the quality of institutional performance of colleges and universities in the face of funding constraints is discussed. An example of the use of instructional research to assist in documenting institutional quality in Australia is noted. Institutional research uses data collection, analysis, and interpretation…