This chapter describes a process for assessing programmatic initiatives with broad-ranging goals with the use of a mixed-methods design. Using an example of a day-long teaching development conference, this chapter provides practitioners step-by-step guidance on how to implement this assessment process.

A discussion of administrative program evaluation addresses the problem and opportunity of evaluation from the perspective of the administrator or institutional researcher by suggesting criteria for deciding on the need for formal evaluation, examining several evaluation design strategies, and looking at how evaluation can enhance organizational…

The University of Toledo has applied a systems approach to the design of an academic program evaluation model. The systems approach seems to be the most appropriate because it emphasizes the whole system instead of component systems. Selected evaluation models are reviewed, Toledo's research paradigm is described, and the function of a university…

The future of faculty development programs will benefit most from a systematic assessment of program goals, a factor often ignored or taken for granted while program process and product are evaluated. (MSE)

Many institutions develop institutional goals, but few continue to the next step--assessing the extent to which the institution has achieved its goals. Some methods for assessing progress toward achieving goals are described.(MLW)

An evaluation of a counseling center must examine its goals, activities, and impact and determine the desired balance among preventive, remedial, and developmental objectives. (MSE)

It is suggested that available research cannot substantiate the claim that certain accrediting association standards assure institutional quality. In moving to a more direct approach to assessing institutional performance, the focus should be upon student performance at graduation. (MLW)

Eight common objections to performance funding of public colleges are presented and answered. The arguments focus on the complexity of higher education's goals, diversity of institution type, subjectivity of educational quality, relative power of the allocation amounts linked to performance measures, politics of resource allocation, cost of…

Community colleges need to adopt a broad conceptual definition of a continuing student in the design and evaluation of their retention strategies, recognizing nondegree goals as legitimate educational achievements and intermittent but persistent attendance as a valid method of pursuing educational goals. (MSE)