A corporate leader argues that higher education leaders must be prepared to manage change, and suggests focusing on results, communicating straight and openly, and delegating responsibility. An institutionwide communication program and greater efficiency are key elements in management change. (MSE)

A method is presented for determining the optimal number of conditions to use in measurement designs when resource constraints are imposed. The method is illustrated using a multivariate two-facet design, and extensions to other designs are discussed. (SLD)

Illustrates the uses of operations research (OR) in higher education administration by reviewing the higher education system's most significant operational problems: resource allocation, financial planning, budgeting, formation of student project groups, scheduling and classroom allocation, student registration, tuition and fee structure…

A system implemented at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's medical school department of microbiology and immunology to track grant proposals before submission is described. Stress associated with proposal deadlines has been drastically reduced. Strategies used include a new submission process, development of an ideal timeline, and use of a…

In Portland, an Oregon state commission wants to create a federation of public and private institutions to meet local demand through better coordination. The effort may involve having some institutions refocus curricula to social and economic issues facing the community, seeking less state and more private funds, and joint faculty hiring. (MSE)

Some school critics blame democracy for fostering waste and unhappy workers. Making reconstruction of our economic system the educational reform agenda removes chance to redress many social problems or reenvision democracy. Public education reform must embrace a kind of democracy that values full and free discussion by all school community…

An effort to enhance quality and efficiency at the University of Florida was designed to produce quick results without involving many employees and focused on the accounts payable department. Flowcharting identified inefficiencies and pinpointed opportunities for improvement in labor-intensive processes, mailings, check registers, reports,…

Sequential, standardized patient-based tests were given to medical students at the University of Maastricht (Netherlands); the first test was a screening test that evaluated the efficiency/validity of cutoff scores. Findings indicated that stringent pass/fail cutoff scores on the screening test produced optimal results. Fewer than 0.2 percent of…

Examines the efficiency of the Imen-Delphi (ID) technique as an electronic procedure for conferencing that helps participants clarify their opinions and expectations regarding preferable and possible futures. Describes an electronic version of the original ID procedure and tested its efficiency among a group of experts on virtual reality and…

Presents a framework for financing lifelong learning that will be more comprehensive, efficient, equitable, and flexible than the existing approach. Specifies essential components of lifelong learning and raises question of who should pay. Suggests a system for constructing both international and national databases on lifelong learning that can…

This study empirically estimates a multiproduct total cost function and output relationship for comprehensive U.S. universities. Statistical results for 184 Bible colleges suggest that there are both economies of scale and of scope in higher education. Additionally, product-specific economies of scope exist for all output levels and activities.…

Comparison of 58 traditional-age and 37 nontraditional (ages 24-64) students showed that older students more often used the metacognitive strategies of generating constructive information and hyperprocessing. Older females had the highest levels of cognitive monitoring; no age or gender differences in course performance were found. (Contains 27…

Addresses the issue of how institutions of higher education can deal with the dilemma of achieving efficiency while sustaining or enhancing effectiveneness. Describes how the faculty of education at the University of Strathclyde (Scotland) addressed this issue including the major organizational, political, logistical, and educational…

Nursing students (n=43) who used clinical case studies via computer-assisted instruction (CAI) were compared with 37 who used the written nursing process (WNP). California Critical Thinking Skills Test results did not show significant increases in critical thinking. The WNP method was more time consuming; the CAI group was more satisfied. Use of…

Critically examines the suggestion that unemployment could be reduced by creating jobs in nonprofit organizations, observes trends in the sector's employment and resources, and discusses the conditions in which nonprofit organizations provide social services more efficiently that government and for-profit enterprises. Concludes that this is not a…