The behaviors and subsequent situations of two sets of colleges that experienced severe financial difficulties in the mid-1970s were examined. One set made a dramatic recovery; the other set did not. The more resilient group pursued a combination of adaptive and interpretive strategies. (MLW)

Aspects of the small liberal arts college's environment that contribute to the intellectual and personal development of faculty as well as students include accessibility, visibility, flexibility, the institution's desire for interdisciplinary inquiry, and a reward system for scholarship. (MSE)

The decision about which college to attend can be daunting. College bound high school students may pore over catalogs, make visits to multiple campuses, and negotiate the intricacies of financial aid. There are a variety of choices, and the most basic of choices involves what type of school to attend. Should it be a well-funded research university…

This monograph contains eight paper that explore the role and value of information officers, focusing on: (1) results of a nationwide survey of educational institutions that examined the percentage of SCDE's represented by public information officers and the type of representation offered; (2) deans' perspectives on the usefulness of information…

In the spring of 1996, the Board of Regents of Bethany Lutheran College in Mankato, Minnesota, decided to ask the administration and faculty to do what was needed to change the small private church-related two-year college into a small private church-related four-year college. The first designated major was to be Communication. The first step in…

The decision on the most appropriate size for liberal arts colleges should not be made on economic grounds. Analysis of literature shows that economic benefits through economies of scale are too debatable to play an important role. Fixed costs may be offset by less institutional complexity in small colleges. (Author/MSE)

A sociotechnical systems model used by John Brown University is described that is useful for analyzing the complexities of change in an organization and for describing the many elements involved in change. (Author/MLW)

Small and medium-sized institutions are seen as likely to experience major organizational change during the next few years in three areas: contracting out, academic franchising, and reacting to declining instruction. Colleges need to explore interinstitutional cooperation, new educational media, structural innovation, productivity improvement, and…

An advising model used by Marymount Manhattan College is described. The heart of advising is the faculty: faculty care about students, design major requirements and course content, communicate the rationale for required courses, help students see alternatives in courses of study, and provide them with options. (MLW)

Strategies employed by Hood College to bolster its enrollment and survive are discussed. They include eliminating some underenrolled or duplicative courses, launching new programs of study, adoption of a core curriculum, making planning an integral part of every department, improving budgeting, improving student services, and professionalizing…

Bryn Mawr College is developing a data gathering workbook to aid small institutions in the analysis of financial options. Growth-rate balance and data gathering and analysis workbooks are described along with four problem areas: growth-rate imbalance, asset depletion, control indicators, and quality shifts. (MLW)

The role and responsibility of trustees of private colleges in fund raising are discussed. Four areas are identified: (1) concentration on large gifts, (2) alumni financial support, (3) the voluntary support of the friends and non-alumni of the college community, and (4) deferred gifts. (MLW)

The perception that a college has an excellent academic program is seen as a judgment about the whole college, not just about a few departments. To maintain this judgment, the administrator of a small college must exercise balance in allocation of resources to departments and academic support areas. (Author/MLW)

Essential requisites for managing institutions in a retrenchment economy include: a clear-cut institutional mission, effective student recruiting, adequate self-knowledge, and competent and dynamic leadership. Practical implications of these conditions for administrators and institutional researchers are discussed. (Author/SF)

Many small, private colleges lack the resources to develop a planning, management and evaluation (PME) system and the result is planning becomes a neglected function. An in-depth study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for the Detroit Institute of Technology is described. (MLW)