The process of project management is illustrated through application to one activity, development of a new brochure, within the admissions program of a fictional college. The project life cycle is described, and a work responsibility schedule, project completion schedule, and critical path chart are used as planning and implementation tools. (MSE)

Northwestern State University (Louisiana) prepared a grant proposal for a comprehensive development plan to strengthen academic support services, including automated credit articulation, desktop registration, and a telephone registration and voice response information system. Funded by Title III of the Higher Education Act of 1965, the project has…

Applying a consumer satisfaction model to higher education program administration provides the manager with a systemic view of satisfaction, related variables, and postpurchase (alumni) actions. By manipulating the variables leading to consumer satisfaction, the institution can satisfy its consumers and increase the likelihood the consumer will…

The Georgia Southern University admissions office implemented Total Quality Management (TQM) principles to control the quality of information management. It is suggested that, although TQM is used best on an institutionwide basis, it can also be useful in improving quality, reducing cost, increasing productivity, and achieving competitiveness on a…

Research suggests that students make their college choice based on their perceptions of the institution's image. Smart, aggressive, well-administered institutions see their image as their most significant asset and manage it carefully by prioritizing audiences, conducting market research, establishing clear goals, planning, and implementing the…

A discussion of college policy concerning the recording of student name changes reviews existing laws and professional guidelines about changing names and offers a suggested administrative protocol for adjusting student records. Policy and procedures concerning the records of former students, cross-referencing, and reprinting diplomas are also…

A study of the needs of adult undergraduate students at Kent State University (Ohio) is described. The study examined enrollment trends for traditional and adult populations, used a focus group approach to examine common adult student experiences, and produced a profile of this population, with suggestions for enhancing the college experiences of…

A study of Brigham Young University (Utah) graduates, 1980-88, looked at patterns in change of major among transfer students and those entering as freshmen. Results are reported concerning early statement of major, open vs. specified major, gender differences, academic achievement, frequency of change, and time to graduation in each year's cohort.…

The efforts of five Bowling Green State University (Ohio) graduate students to design, develop, and implement a student retention training program using graduate assistants are described. Special techniques used to train participants and lessons learned in the process are noted. (MSE)

A University of Toronto (Canada) study of medical school applicants accepting (n=784) and declining (n=255) admission identified influential factors. Some (living cost, location) cannot be affected by the institution. The institution has limited control of others (faculty size, school environment) but can influence applicant perceptions. One…

Middle-managers, including registrar and admissions personnel, must continue to call attention to the need for professional development. The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and the regional and state organizations are challenged to define the need and respond appropriately. (MSE)

Two differing opinions about the value of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in college admissions address these topics: over-reliance on the test as a predictor of student success; omission of some students' scores from institutional profiles; effects of abolition of the test; and admissions officer understanding of psychometrics. (Author/MSE)

Descriptive statistics of grading scales used in 371 Virginia high schools are discussed in light of the admissions decisions at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. An analysis of the effect of grading scales on admissions decisions is presented. Nontraditional analysis is recommended as an alternative for interpreting the complex…

The feasibility, problems, and benefits of involving a university's marketing faculty in the marketing activities of the admissions office are considered. Louisiana Technological University's experience with using marketing faculty in enrollment management is seen as exemplifying how problems can be overcome to everyone's benefit. (Author/MSE)

A survey of 204 graduate students at a small regional university concerning choice of major, personal and occupational history, vocational preferences, and self-monitoring behaviors found students chose majors based on program quality and career opportunities. Results suggest recruitment of older students could be enhanced through attention to…