This article is an excerpt from the chapter titled "Information Technology and Systems" in the sixth edition of "College and University Business Administration." Issues addressed include competition for skilled IT staff, life-cycling budgeting and replacement, measuring and valuing the IT investment, funding mechanisms, and standards and technical…

Two senior administrators at the University of Delaware discuss the types of cost data that are ultimately useful for decision making and policy development. Describes the data collection format and provides examples of departmental workload verification data and departmental expenditures by object and function. Explains use of comparative…

Describes the implementation of responsibility-centered management, a decentralized model giving deans responsibility for expanding and using resources, at Indiana University's nursing school. Discusses how it led to creation of an information-rich environment, strategic decision making, and a performance-based reward structure. (SK)

This commentary on a study comparing use of the brand name drug Depakene with generic valproic acid to control seizures in people with mental retardation focuses on issues of cost-effectiveness. It notes existing guidelines for pharmacoeconomic evaluation and suggests a possible model to include a threshold price (per quality-adjusted life year)…

This article reviews key applied research issues relevant to people with autism, including: systems delivery models and issues, how best to integrate treatments, providing treatments to those with limited monetary resources, cost and cost/benefit analyses, how to educate adult psychiatrists regarding autism, and gaps between research and practice.…

Research suggests that children living in poverty show progressively lower test scores as they age. The Abecedarian research project contrasted a birth-to-age-five intervention program with a school-grade intervention program. When given IQ and achievement tests at various ages, children who had received preschool treatment consistently outscored…

Presents summaries of 1996 budget reports from public libraries, divided by nine geographic regions of the United States. Data indicates that gains in total budgets are 6%; materials 7.1%; salaries 5.6%; and that fundraising has become a crucial activity to support libraries, especially in funding increasing technology costs. (JKP)

Viewing equity as paramount, child advocates attempt to secure a just proportion of resources for children. Children need parents as individual advocates, given the lack of institutions to promote children's well-being. Parents are natural advocates, due to special knowledge about their children's needs, strong commitment to their success, and…

Compared cultural differences in perceptions of allocators of resources through a study of 190 United States and 138 German college students. Findings show that subjects did evaluate allocators differently depending on what distribution norm they followed, and that the pattern of differences varied by culture and, for some of the evaluative…

Claims that agencies serving children and families will need to use managed care concepts to reorganize and fund their activities, and that agencies will need an effectiveness-oriented administration to survive in this managed care environment. Claims that good managed care can result in consistent, yet flexible, long-term caring relationships…

This review of the past 20 years in child abuse and neglect prevention discusses the effectiveness of both general and targeted prevention services, especially home visiting; 9 ingredients of a successful home visiting program; the need for additional resources to cover home visiting services; and cautions against overselling or underselling…

Some experts characterize the "digital divide" (the gap between technology haves and have-nots) as the civil rights issue of the new millennium. Policymakers may need to rethink the concept of equity when applied to technology resources in schools. A California program is developing some yardsticks. (Contains 17 references.) (MLH)

School technology departments bridge the gap between the technology industry and the classroom. Integrating technology means both teaching and supporting faculty. The technology department's roles and responsibilities must be constantly redefined and reevaluated. Financial resources should be allocated to allow ongoing training and incremental…

Examines the relationship between special educational needs and resource levels, drawing on two local education authorities as case studies. One LEA uses a professional-audit approach to allocate resources; the other uses educational tests. A critical examination disclosed benefits and drawbacks for each accountability system. (Contains 18…

The analysis by R. Greenwald, L. Hedges, and R. Laine (1996) suffers because of its statistical methods and because it is based on a sample that biases the study toward their conclusions. Econometric evidence and the aggregate performance of U.S. schools points toward serious problems with inefficient use of resources. (SLD)