Showing papers on "Institutional research published in 2000"

Comparing the Effects of Community Service and Service-Learning

Abstract: Service-learning represents a potentially powerful form of pedagogy because it provides a means of linking the academic with the practical. The more abstract and theoretical material of the traditional classroom takes on new meaning as the student "tries it out," so to speak, in the "real" world. At the same time, the student benefits from the opportunity to connect the service experience to the intellectual content of the classroom. By emphasizing cooperation, democratic citizenship and moral responsibility through service-learning, higher education connects to the wider community and enables students to contribute to the alleviation of society's urgent needs. There is a mounting body of evidence documenting the efficacy of participating in service during the undergraduate years (Astin, Sax & Avalos, 1999; Batchelder & Root, 1994; Eyler, Giles & Braxton, 1997; Eyler & Giles, 1999; Hesser, 1995; Rhoads, 1997; Sax, Astin & Astin, 1996). Yet, though there is broad support for engaging students in community service, there has been some resistance to incorporating service into academic courses. The thinking has been that the place for service is outside the classroom--done on a student's "own time." Those who doubt that service-learning belongs in undergraduate curricula ask, What is the "value-added" for course-based service? For proponents of service-learning, it is important to be able to know whether engaging in service as part of an academic course has benefits over and above those of co-curricular community service. This study directly compares service-learning and co-curricular community service, in order to identify the unique contributions, if any, of course-based service beyond those of community service.1 We address these issues through a quantitative longitudinal study of a national sample of students at diverse colleges and universities. Research that contributes to understanding the educational value of course-based service is important for several reasons. First, it contributes to our understanding of how student learning takes place. Second, such understanding directly addresses faculty concerns about the value of participating in service as part of a course. As a recent study of federally funded service-learning programs points out, "at the institutional level, the most serious obstacle [to expanding and sustaining service programs] is faculty resistance to service-learning. Faculty are reluctant to invest the extra time that teaching service-learning courses entails, and many are skeptical of the educational value of service-learning" (Gray et. al., 1999, p. 103). As a result of research on service-learning, faculty may not only gain a broader understanding of how learning takes place, but also be more likely to support service-learning if they see evidence documenting its educational value. Method In this article, we report the results of quantitative analyses which directly compare service-learning and community service. For this purpose we do a longitudinal comparison of three student groups: service-learning participants, "generic" community service participants, and non-service participants. Participants The data from this study were collected as part of the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), with sponsorship from the American Council on Education. Conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) at the University of California, Los Angeles, the CIRP annually collects data on entering first-year students using the Student Information Form (SIF), a questionnaire which is designed as a pre-test for longitudinal assessments of the impact of college on students. The College Student Survey (CSS), which provides longitudinal follow-up data, is typically administered four years after college entry. This study uses 1998 CSS data, and draws on SIF data from 1991 through 1997. Most students who participated in the 1998 CSS completed their SIF in 1994 (69%). …

Higher Education Research

Abstract: Higher education research is a small field as compared to the size of the higher education system. As a theme-based field, it is expected to strive both for academic quality and practical relevance. Many scholars involved address this area only occasionally, and more research is linked to administrations or external stakeholders than based on academics. The borderlines are fuzzy between researchers and practitioners active in gathering information as a basis of reflection and improvement. It is a growing field, though uneven across countries, with a widening thematic scope: Notably, comparative studies got momentum and internationalization became a major theme.

What contributes to job satisfaction among faculty and staff

Abstract: the attention of college trustees and administrators as well as the general public has turned largely to increasing positive student outcomes and cost effectiveness, while the satisfaction of faculty and staff has been viewed as a significantly lesser concern. This volume argues that positive outcomes for the entire campus can only be achieved within an environment that considers the satisfaction of all of those employed in the academy. The contributors examine various jobs within the campus community-including classified staff and student affairs administrators as well as faculty-and suggest factors that will promote job satisfaction and thereby foster other positive outcomes. They review, for example, the positive relationship between sabbatical leave and the development and satisfaction of faculty. They also explore the role of the faculty union in the satisfaction of community college faculty, the unique challenges to achieving satisfaction that face women faculty members and faculty of color, and other key issues. This is the 105th issue of the quarterly "New Directions for Institutional Research."

Aren’t you satisfied yet?: Women faculty members’ interpretations of their academic work: New Directions for Institutional Research

Abstract: Arguing that the professional lives of women faculty are different from those of their male counterparts, the author reviews several autobiographical texts focused on female faculty satisfaction.

A comparison of family medicine research in research intense and less intense institutions.

Abstract: BACKGROUND Family medicine is a relatively new specialty that has been trying to develop a research base for 30 years. It is unclear how institutional research success and emphasis have affected the research productivity of family medicine departments. OBJECTIVE To examine the research infrastructure, productivity, and barriers to productivity in academic family medicine in research intense and less intense institutions. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A survey of 124 chairs among institutional members of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine. Departments were categorized as being associated with research intense institutions (defined as the top 40 in National Institute of Health funding) or less intense institutions. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Prioritization of research as a mission, number of funded research grants, total number of research articles published, and number of faculty and staff conducting research. RESULTS The response rate was 55% (N = 68). Of 5 potential ratings on the survey, research was the fourth highest departmental priority in both categories of institutions. Departments in research intense institutions were larger, had more faculty on investigational tracks, and employed more research support staff (P<.05). Neither category of department published a large number (median = 10 in both groups) of peer-reviewed articles per year. Controlling for the number of full-time equivalent faculty, the departments in less intense institutions published a median of 0.7 articles, while the research intense institutions published 0.5 (P =.30). Departments in research intense institutions received more grant funding (P<.005) in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. Chairs reported a scarcity of qualified applicants for research physician faculty openings. CONCLUSION Future initiatives should focus on prioritizing research and creating a critical mass of researchers in family medicine. Arch Fam Med. 2000;9:1100-1104

Understanding the work and career paths of midlevel administrators

Abstract: 1. Midlevel Administrators: What We Know (Vicki J. Rosser ). 2. Academic Advising (Kathryn Nemeth Tuttle). 3. Institutional Advancement (Jeri L. Kozobarich). 4. Information Technology (David Lassner ). 5. Human Resources (Daniel J. Julius ). 6. International Student Affairs (Melinda Wood, Parandeh Kia). 7. Enrollment Management (Thomas Huddleston Jr.). 8. Budget and Planning (Patricia N. Haeuser). 9. Student Life Development (Jan Minoru Javinar). 10. Academic Business Affairs (Larry M. Dooley). 11. Institutional Research (Deborah Olsen). Commentary (Linda K. Johnsrud).

Examining the Institutional Transformation Process: The Importance of Sensemaking and Inter-Related Strategies.

Abstract: This study develops a framework for transformational change in institutions of higher education that is both theoretically and empirically grounded and is context based. It reports on six ethnographic case studies of six institutions over a four year period. The six institutions in the study and their change initiatives included one research university (reconceptualizing the goals of general education and faculty roles); three doctoral-granting universities (changing faculty roles and rewards, creating a more rigorous academic environment, and integrating technology into the teaching and learning process); a liberal arts college (creating a campus community grounded in civic responsibility); and a community college (becoming more student centered). Qualitative research techniques were used including interviews, participant observation, site visits, and document analysis. The key findings included: identification of five core strategies for transformational change, all of which facilitated organizational sensemaking; (2) the important inter-relationship among core and secondary strategies and the non-linear change process; (3) the need for balance among strategies; (4) the importance of social cognition models for future studies of transformational change; and (5) the efficacy of combining multiple conceptual models. An appendix provides definitions of core and sub strategies. (Contains 60 references.) (Author/DB) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Examining the Institutional Transformation Process: The Importance of Sensemaking and Inter-related Strategies Adrianna Kezar Assistant professor, George Washington University Department of Educational Leadership Higher Education Administration Program George Washington University One Dupont Circle, Suite #630 Washington, DC 20036 800/773-3742, ext. 14 Fax: 202/452-1844 Email: akezar@eric-he.edu Peter Eckel American Council on Education U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) LC/4;s document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy.

Using Student Development Theory to Inform Institutional Research

Abstract: Student affairs research is informed by student development theories which help to explain how students grow and develop during college. Knowledge of student development theories can help institutional researchers to formulate research questions and interpret their results.

Data Mining and Knowledge Management: A System Analysis for Establishing a Tiered Knowledge Management Model.

Abstract: This paper discusses data mining--an end-to-end (ETE) data analysis tool that is used by researchers in higher education. It also relates data mining and other software programs to a brand new concept called "Knowledge Management." The paper culminates in the Tier Knowledge Management Model (TKMM), which seeks to provide a stable structure with which to organize the plethora of established and nascent technologies. Data mining is a knowledge discovery process to reveal patterns and relationships in data via high-powered data modeling procedures. The field is in the process of being harmonized with statistics to provide researchers with a richer and more unified palate of analysis tools. The birth of data mining, however, has not completed the road map for research in higher education. With the development in data warehousing and data mining, the landscape for knowledge management has greatly changed. After extensive research and based on actual experience, a model for managing knowledge for research and planning is proposed to be the Tiered Knowledge Management Model (TKMM). A roadmap like TKMM may help guide the efforts for researchers to update their skills and choose the right tool. For example, the Project Management model explains what tool is best for which project. Addendum describes five steps to successful data mining. (Contains 13 references.) (JA) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Data Mining and Knowledge Management A System Analysis for Establishing a Tiered Knowledge Management Model Jing Luan, Ph.D. Terrence Willett, M.S. 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 9131his document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Cabrillo College Office of Institutional Research 6500 Soquel Drive Aptos, CA 95003 BEST COPY AVAIL4PI F Data Mining And Knowledge Management A System Analysis for establishing a Tiered Knowledge Management Model Jing Luan, Ph.D. Terrence Willett, M.S. Researchers in general are living in an era of great advancement in technology. This brings significant pressure to update skills and analysis tools. Researchers in higher education in particular have gradually begun to realize that yesterday's modus operandi is dated, as technology is knocking on their office doors with promises of efficiency, speed, and convenience. In response, many researchers have opened their doors to new software and new technology. A recent Intellisolve Group's literature reflected on the patterns of adopting technology-using terms such as early adopters, early majority, and laggards (Intellisolve Group, 2000). The early adopters have left a trail of confusion to the early majority and laggards who follow. The road is littered with names such as XML, ASP, and JSP, to name a few with new acronyms being born each day. Some of them are being recycled, such as ASP, which has had at least five uses. Then there are data mining, datamarts, OLAP, and other concepts and tools being introduced with each new innovation. While it is not the purpose of this paper to address them all, it is the intent of the authors to focus on data mining--an end-to-end (ETE) data analysis tool. Then the authors will proceed to relate data mining and other software programs to a brand new concept called "Knowledge Management". The paper culminates in the Tier Knowledge Management Model (TKMM) that seeks to provide a stable structure with which to organize the plethora of established and nascent technologies. Introducing Data Mining Data mining cannot be discussed without first relating it to datawarehousing. A datawarehouse is a "subject oriented, integrated, nonvolatile, time variant collection of data in support of management decisions" (Corey & Abbey, 1999). Many researchers have established datawarehouses on their campuses. If they haven't yet, they might have datamarts. The difference between a datawarehouse and a datamart lies in the size and purpose. Datamart means a specially constructed database for a limited research study, such as the study of transfer students' course taking pattern, whereas datawarehouse comes from an OLTP system such as Peoplesoft or Datatel. The datawarehouse is comprehensive in nature, which may become too large for a study that only uses a few fields of data without the introduction of another layer of data management (described later as the Middle Tier). Datawarehousing technology has drastically expanded the amount and type of data available for analysis, therefore making data mining a possibility. Data mining is a knowledge discovery process to discover patterns and relationships in data via high-powered data modeling procedures (De Veaux, 2000). Data mining is about discovering rules, associations, and likelihoods of events by looking backward at

A Guide To Measuring College Costs.

Abstract: Accurate measurement of college costs must consider new ways of looking at the factors that contribute to that cost, especially in the areas of financial aid and capital expenditures.

Developing Peer Groups for the Oregon University System: From Politics to Analysis (and Back).

Abstract: In the fall of 1997, institutional research staff in the central office of the Oregon University System were asked to build a set of peer comparators for the state's seven diverse public universities. The peer groups were to serve the analytic needs of budgeting, performance measurement, and trend analysis. Because of several critical political issues requiring interinstitutional unity, the peer groups had to be developed and implemented with the participation and support of the seven university presidents. In addition, the peer groups had to be understood and accepted by board members, legislators, and the governor's office. Through a process that combined detailed statistical information with a sensitivity to the political dynamics and judgments of campus presidents and staff, the system office developed a set of peer groups that found acceptance in both the political and analytical environments. Ten conditions that contribute to the creation of peer groups on a systemwide basis are identified and offered as guidance to other university systems.

Changing Religious Beliefs among College Students.

Abstract: This study asks how college attendance affects changes in students' religious beliefs, exploring factors in the college environment that account for such changes. Data for the study was derived from the 1994 Freshman Survey and 1998 College Student Survey conducted annually by the Higher Education Research Institute for the Cooperative Institutional Research Program. The sample for the study included over 4,000 students attending 76 four-year institutions; the primary dependent variable was a self-rating on changes in religious beliefs and convictions. Sections of the study cover the introduction, objectives, methodology, results, limitations, and discussion and conclusion. Some study results were contrary to what had been anticipated, e.g. while students tended to experience changes in religious beliefs, the direction of change was toward a strengthening of convictions. The study also supported past findings that students who experienced a weakening of religiosity tended to be liberal males with negative emotional health experiences; females having positive emotional health were more likely to experience a strengthening of beliefs. One unexpected finding was that religious affiliation does not necessarily make a direct difference in students' religious convictions. The study suggests increased student-faculty interactions and support for religious student organizations and activities as ways to strengthen students' religious beliefs. (Contains 25 references.) (CH) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Changing Religious Beliefs Among College Students Jenny J. Lee Graduate School of Education and Information Studies UCLA U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Irv% R... Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. /1.1) PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)

Analyzing costs in higher education : what institutional researchers need to know

Abstract: Institutional researchers are increasingly being asked to help study how effectively colleges and universities are managing financial resources. But cost studies are a relatively new responsibility for many institutionalresearch offices, and it can be daunting for those with little financial training to know where to begin. This volume presents both the conceptual and practical information that will give researchers solid grounding in selecting the best approach to cost analysis. The authors offer a broad overview of cost studies covering basic issues and beyond, from a review of definitions of expEnditure categories and rules of financial reporting to a discussion of a recent congressionally mandated study of higher education costs. They describe practical strategies for building a consistent and reliable financial database on campus and for making inter-institutional comparisons of data. They also provide specific advice on understanding anddefining the data elements in a good cost study, identifying the types of cost data needed for academic and administrative planning, and more.This is the 106th issue of the quarterly journal New Directions for Institutional Research.

Quality research in South African higher education : illusions, imperatives and ideals

Abstract: Since the installation of the first democratically elected government in 1994, South African higher education has been facing the daunting task of addressing substantial social transformation. The restructuring of higher education creates a number of new opportunities for researchers to contribute to social, political and economic development in the country (Segal 1998). However, the South African higher education research community is still trying to overcome the heritage of the previous fragmented higher education system which did not only hamper the quality of research outputs, but was also detrimental to the development of promising researchers and to society at large. This article is an attempt to firstly give an overview of the complexity of higher education research in South Africa. Secondly the researcher proposes distinctive prerequisites that ensure quality in South African higher education research.

Student Affairs Research: The Work We Do

Abstract: In addition to defining and describing student affairs research, this chapter discusses how input, process, and outcomes research informs student affairs. Some brief historical perspectives are discussed as well.

Community College Alchemists: Turning Data into Information

Abstract: What is the difference between information and data? Understanding how information can be alchemized into useful data is a key to survival in the Information Age.

Two-Year College Students' Degree Aspirations.

Abstract: This study compares the educational aspirations of college freshmen students in public and private two-year colleges around the nation. Surveying a sample of over 13,000 first-time, full-time students from a national database elicited the following results: about half of students at public and private two year colleges aspired to obtain the baccalaureate degree; 24.7% of students at the public two-year colleges aspired toward the master's degree compared with 27.9% at private two-year colleges; and almost 10% of public and 14% of private two-year college students indicated that they aspire to obtain a doctorate. The study also examined the extent to which academic aspiration is influenced by factors such as background characteristics, high school experiences, and other affective measures. For each of the two groups, being female, father's education, mother's education, and parental income revealed positive associations with high aspirations for students at public and private two-year colleges. Additionally, younger students were more likely than older students to have higher academic aspirations. High school experiences such as years of mathematics, foreign language, and biological science, high self-ratings of academic ability, drive to achieve, and intellectual self-confidence were significant variables. (Contains 34 references.) (JA) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 'Tr --fhis document has been reproduced as Cs4 received from the person or organization 7t* originating it. 7r. Minor changes have been made to 1:21 improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) Two-Year College Students' Degree Aspirations Paper presented at the 40th Annual Forum of the Association for Institutional Research Cincinnati, Ohio May 23, 2000 Contact Information: Frankie Santos Laanan Assistant Professor, Community College Leadership Department of Human Resource Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 345 Education Building, MC-708 1310 South Sixth Street Champaign, IL 61820 Phone: (217) 333-0807 Fax: (217) 244-5632 e-mail: laanan@uiuc.edu BEST COPY AVAILABLE 2 Two-Year College Students' Degree Aspirations ABSTRACT This study examines a sample of over 13,000 college freshmen students' educational aspirations separately for two groups: students enrolled in public and private two-year colleges around the nation. For each group, analyses address the extent to which highest academic aspiration is influenced by factors such as background characteristics, high school experiences, and other affective measures. The findings suggest some differences in how these factors operate for students at public and private two-year colleges.This study examines a sample of over 13,000 college freshmen students' educational aspirations separately for two groups: students enrolled in public and private two-year colleges around the nation. For each group, analyses address the extent to which highest academic aspiration is influenced by factors such as background characteristics, high school experiences, and other affective measures. The findings suggest some differences in how these factors operate for students at public and private two-year colleges.

The Role of Race and Gender in the Awarding of Institutional Financial Aid.

Abstract: This paper analyzes data from the 1989-90 and 1995-96 National Postsecondary Student Aid Studies to examine the awarding of institutional need-based versus non-need grants to undergraduate students. The study examines how the use of the different types of scholarships has changed in recent years; characteristics of students who receive the grants; and whether race and gender are related to the awarding of grants. The sample for this study included full-time dependent students from four-year public and private research, doctoral, comprehensive, and liberal arts institutions; proprietary school students and students who received athletic scholarships were excluded. Bivariate analysis of the data demonstrated that white students were awarded a disproportionately large share of non-need grants in both study years, with their share increasing between 1989 and 1995. Multivariate analysis found that gender had little to do with the awarding of institutional grants; that race was more of a determining factor in the awarding of grants, with the effects differing by type of institution and region; that African Americans were more likely to receive non-need grants; and that in 1995 Hispanics and Asian Americans in private colleges were more likely to receive non-need awards than were other students. (Includes nine data tables. Contains 30 references.) (CH) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. N 71A 4.) The Role of Race and Gender in the Awarding of Institutional Financial Aid Paper Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association New Orleans April, 2000 Donald E. Heller Assistant Professor of Education Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education University of Michigan School of Education 610 East University, 2108D SEB Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1259 734-647-1984 dheller@umich.edu This paper analyzes data from the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) to examine the awarding of institutional need-based versus non-need grants to undergraduate students. The purpose of the study is to determine: 1) how the use of these different types of scholarships has changed in recent years; 2) what are the characteristics of the students receiving them; and, 3) whether race and gender are factors related to the awarding of these grants. This research was supported in part by grants from the Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Michigan (#3636), and the Association for Institutional Research, Improving Institutional Research in Postsecondary Educational Institutions grant program (#98-104). The opinions expressed here are those of the author. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) rsd -X eceived from the person or organization \..4r his document has been reproduced as 0 originating it. Minor changes have been made to PI) improve reproduction quality. Iv, Points of view or opinions stated in this 143 document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. © 2000, Donald E. Heller PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 2 BEST COPYAVAILABLE The Role of Race and Gender in the Awarding of Institutional Financial Aid Financial assistance for individuals attending college has existed in this country almost as long as higher education itself. Holtschneider (1997), McPherson & Schapiro (1998), and Wick (1997) describe how scholarships were established in a number of colleges as early as during the colonial era and in the 19th century. The earliest scholarships were often awarded based on the academic merit of individual students, with some consideration given to financial need (Hauptman, 1990). This practice was carried on into the 20th century largely by the private elite colleges and universities in the eastern part of the country. Recognizing the inequities of this system, and with no common method for determining financial need, many of the elite private institutions banded together in 1954 to establish the College Scholarship Service (CSS) as part of the College Entrance Examination Board. The CSS developed a formula for institutions to share to help determine the financial need of their applicants. With this action, most private institutions shifted their awarding of scholarships to a system based on family financial need. This emphasis on financial need in determining eligibility for undergraduate scholarships was recognized by the federal government with the passage of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which implemented the Educational Opportunity Grant program (the precursor to Pell Grants). The states followed suit as state-funded scholarship funds grew after creation of the State Student Incentive Grant (SSIG) program. Created as part of the 1972 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, the SSIG program provided matching federal funds to states that funded their own scholarship programs. The great majority of these state scholarship funds were awarded based on financial need. Since the 1980s, however, the use of financial need as the basis for awarding scholarships has been eroding. Between 1982 and 1999 spending on need-based scholarships for undergraduates by the states increased 7.3% annually, while spending on non-need programs increased at a 12.7% annual rate (Heller, 2000). Colleges and universities have begun implementing new programs that rely less on need, The Role of Race and Gender in the Awarding of Institutional Financial Aid Page 2 or on expanded definitions of financial need, as the key eligibility criterion. In addition, public institutions, which historically had relied on federal and state scholarship programs, began for the first time to award large numbers of scholarships from their own funds. Public institutions historically relied on general state appropriations to hold down tuition prices, thus ensuring an affordable college education for all. Beginning in the 1980s, however, public tuition prices began to rise at rates far in excess of both inflation and growth in family incomes in the United States. While public tuition prices at both 4-year institutions and community colleges fell in real terms in the late 1970s, they rose at an annual rate of 4.3% and 3.2% respectively in real dollars in the 1980s, a period when median family incomes grew at a rate of only 1% per year (Heller, 1997a). The situation worsened in the first half of the 1990s, when real tuition rates at public institutions grew over 6% annually, and family incomes grew less than 0.5% per year (Heller, 1997a). In response to these changes, many of these institutions increased their spending on financial aid awarded from their own funds. Table 1 shows the increase in expenditures in three categories at public and private colleges and universities in the U.S. Between fiscal years 1990 and 1996, total expenditures per student increased less than 40% at both categories of institution. Spending on scholarships from all sources increased 69% at public institutions and 67% at private institutions, while spending on financial aid from institutional sources increased 105% and 92%, respectively.' The growth in institutional scholarship spending can best be understood when it is compared to the change in prices over this period. From 1990 to 1996, the Consumer Price Index increased 23%, indicating that real scholarship spending grew at over four times the rate of inflation (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2000). The IPEDS surveys do not collect data separately for undergraduate and graduate financial aid expenditures. However, there was little public or institutional policy change regarding the provision of financial aid for graduate education during this time period to account for such a large increase in spending (relative to overall expenditure increases). Thus, it seems fair to conclude that a major portion of the increase was due to increases in the provision of institutional financial aid for undergraduates.

The Student Success Center at Auburn University

Abstract: How can colleges and universities help students be more successful both during and after their college careers? At Auburn University faculty, staff, and students put their heads together to come up...

I've Always Wanted to Be A., but Now I'm Not So Sure: A Survey of Students' Career Plans

Abstract: A retrospective survey of the career plans of college seniors considering employment in human services, law, and law enforcement reveals dramatic career uncertainty. The ambiguous career plans of these graduating students suggest the need for both broad-based liberal arts sed classes that support career exploration and goal revision. In an effort to provide guidance and appropriate course work for students majoring in public justice at the State University of New York at Oswego, the author undertook a retrospective survey of the career goals and plans of graduating seniors during the four semesters from the fall of 1997 through the spring of 1999. Students entering college with specific occupational plans frequently request careeroriented courses and resent general education requirements and major core courses that appear to be irrelevant to their targeted career goals. At Oswego, however, faculty, advisors, and institutional research across majors all suggest that even students enrolling with firm professional plans commonly modify their goals while in college, and thus benefit from a broad-based liberal arts education. This survey was conducted to document or refute the career goal fluctuations that appear to be so prevalent among college students today. Public justice is a liberal arts program that provides students with an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective on the fields of criminal and civil law and human services. Courses promote the examination of concepts, policies, systems, processes, and problems involved in the provision of services by professionals in law, corrections, human services, and law enforcement. Students complete five required core courses, seven public justice electives chosen from a variety of academic disciplines, and the campus general education requirements. After the mandatory internship during the junior or senior year, students often are devastated by the discovery that what they had "always wanted to be" no longer seems so inviting. In addition, most students will not follow the "unitary career paths" of their parents, changing careers three to five times (Vinton and Hovet 1993, p. 26) due to economic alterations, globalization, rapid technological change, and the evolution of organizational formats, goals, and values (Miles and Snow 1996). The challenge for faculty is to provide the coursework that students request without leaving upper division students and graduates unprepared to alter their career plans. Conflicts Inherent in Choosing a Career In 1909, Frank Parsons provided the first conceptual framework for career decision making, suggesting that to make a satisfactory career choice an individual needed a clear understanding of himself or herself; knowledge of the requirements, conditions, and opportunities in the world of work; and the ability to adequately consider and evaluate the relationship between the first two issues (Brown and Brooks 1996). This "trait and factor" theory remains relevant today, although research suggests that additional issues must be considered (Brown and Brooks 1996). Career choice reflects a person's motivation, knowledge, personality, and environment (Spokane 1996), although these attributes and their relative importance may change during developmental cycles across the life span (Super et al. 1996). Traditional age students, who continue to dominate our higher education programs, have relatively limited knowledge of themselves, their abilities, and the world of work. Despite their prior work experience, many adult students also remain undecided about their career goals (Duffy 1998). In addition to school programs and personal interests, a student's family, economic, and social environments may influence the prospective employee's awareness of career opportunities, the routes to these opportunities, and his or her perceptions of the labor market (Powlette and Young 1996). Further, since career choice can be perceived as a process involving cognitive development and the narrowing of options beginning in childhood, early career choice may result in inadequate consideration of alternatives (Gottfredson 1996). …

Slicing the Pie: Institutional Research, Assessment, and Student Affairs Research

Abstract: One author argues that there is a difference between traditional institutional research and the unique perspectives of student affairs research, while the other argues that both can be accomplished within the institutional research office. In this article they discuss how one can slice the pie.

Developing Faculty as Stakeholders in Assessment: A Case Study.

Abstract: This case study examined formative assessment of a first-year core course initiated in response to an external requirement. The paper discusses the campus assessment climate; describes how course faculty became proponents for assessment; explains how the core survey became housed in a larger student satisfaction survey; and outlines key elements of successful assessment programs. A researcher teamed with faculty to conduct the evaluation. The study examined the traditional knowledge and role of faculty in institutional assessment. Faculty, who were initially ambivalent or against formal assessment, were the primary audience. Qualitative methods were used to overcome faculty resistance. A research instrument was developed to assess the core program and students' satisfaction with their first-year experience. Nearly 600 freshmen completed the survey; student focus groups were also conducted. Assessment results were delivered during a faculty workshop. Faculty were given time to discuss questions and results. All instructors received printouts of their own and group results. Key elements of this project's success in developing faculty as stakeholders in assessment included: creating an interdisciplinary assessment team of faculty and staff; developing trust by listening to and respecting student and faculty viewpoints; and letting faculty adapt assessment to their own needs. (Contains 26 references.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Developing Faculty as Stakeholders in Assessment: A Case Study Lissa J. Yogan, Ph.D Assistant Professor and Acting Chair Department of Sociology Valparaiso University 334 Huegli Hall Valparaiso, IN 46383 (219) 464-6998 Beth Mercer-Taylor Assistant Registrar for Institutional Research Valparaiso University 102 Kretzmann Hall Valparaiso, IN 46383 (219) 464-7063 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY 0 V TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) 1 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) ,IY-Tis document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy.

Rethinking the Role of Assessment.

Abstract: The prevailing wisdom is that by gathering information about outcomes, we can improve what we are doing and how we do it. But can information about outcomes alone help us make important changes to strengthen our programs and services? This is the question people at the University of Missouri–Columbia began to ask themselves. The answers they came up with are described in the following pages.

Best Practices in Student Affairs Research

Abstract: Examples of successful student affairs research, evaluation, and assessment efforts are reviewed. How can the collaboration between student affairs research and institutional research be increased and improved?

Collaboration between student affairs and institutional researchers to improve institutional effectiveness

Abstract: 1. Student Affairs Research: The Work We Do Gary R. Hanson, Gypsy M. Denzine 2. Using Student Development Theory to Inform Institutional Research Patricia M. King, Mary F. Howard-Hamilton 3. Overview of Student Affairs Research Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Emily J. Perl, Denise F. Nolden 4. Making Things Happen in Higher Education: Dissemination of Student Affairs Research Results S. Leellen Brigman, Gary R. Hanson 5. Best Practices in Student Affairs Research Kris M. Smith, Peter C. Mather 6. Slicing the Pie: Institutional Research, Assessment, and Student Affairs Research J. Worth Pickering, Martha Smith Sharpe 7. Conclusion J. Worth Pickering, Gary R. Hanson