A common finding in the literature is that institutional structures have little to no impact on student engagement and development. I argue that theory suggests peer ability (as measured by selectivity), institutional density, the differentiation of the curriculum, and the research orientation of the institution should all affect student…

Little research exists on the assessment of administrators' performance in higher education. The authors offer an evaluation model for assessing and monitoring the effectiveness of academic deans and directors, using generalizability theory as a basis for developing more accurate assessment procedures. (JM)

Applies Heidegger's hermeneutic circle to research in higher education, specifically use of the pilot study to experientially ground proposed research. Description of a pilot study on higher education leadership illustrates the principle. Implications for higher education research include the importance of (1) grounding research in practical…

Institutional researchers need to be aware of the theoretical and normative assumptions they hold regarding the character of institutional behavior. Many people's concepts about the nature of institutional "intelligence,""resources,""goals," and "problems" appear faulty based on contemporary organizational theory and may lead to misdiagnosing…

Compares the career paths of three hypothetical retiring professors: the professorial path, which emphasizes teaching; the professional path, which emphasizes administrative advancement; or the entrepreneurial path, which emphasizes maximization of financial and business opportunities. Implications for the career paths of young faculty today are…

A discussion of the use of performance indicators and performance-based funding in state colleges and universities looks at the types of mechanisms used for measuring institutional performance, state experiences with performance indicators, their pitfalls and limitations, the current status of performance-based funding applications, difficulties…

Discusses the role of the academic dean and its conflicting pressures of administration and scholarship. Reports on the first phase of a study exploring the sources of stress experienced by 825 deans in both Australia and the United States. Analyzes findings in terms of a four-component managerial stress model and provides tables detailing deans'…

A study investigated who uses the "U.S. News and World Report,""Money," and other national magazine rankings of colleges and universities, and what types of freshmen find these rankings useful in choosing a college. It also analyzed the for-profit sector's encroachment into a critical educational arena, college access, and whether the rankings…

Scholars and researchers, in studying colleges and universities, should appreciate the advantages of broader perspectives and better insights in the interpretations and explanations of institutions telling their own fascinating stories. Each institution can be studied from different perspectives and each can contribute new insights into the world…

A study of Dutch universities from 1974-93 examined factors in the emergence of new academic programs and specializations, particularly the effects of government funding mechanisms (external factor) and level of paradigmatic development (internal factor), drawing on social exchange and resource dependency theory. Results indicate these two factors…

Demonstrates how alumni research can be designed to focus program assessment on student outcomes and be responsive to program goals, administrators' policy concerns, faculty instructional values, and professional practice standards. Based on study of 347 teacher education master's degree recipients, the paper presents a conceptual framework and…

Two studies illustrate how omitting faculty rank as a predictor variable from gender equity studies of faculty salaries can lead to incorrect conclusions about gender discrimination. One uses hypothetical data constructed so there is no gender difference in salary, but omission of academic rank skews the results. The second uses data from a…

A study at the University of Ulster (Northern Ireland) explored student (n=1,456) and faculty (n=357) views on whether course content develops skills that are transferable to work. While faculty and students ascribed equal importance to key generic skills, they differed in the extent to which they believed necessary skills are being developed…

Examines a new approach to university economic impact research that views institutional expenditures as a means to increase the state's skill base, and finds that while the approach yields favorable results for higher education it fails to consider fully the effects of migration. Advises researchers to avoid this approach and use the traditional,…

Review of 19 case studies of gender inequity in faculty salaries found inappropriate application of statistical procedures. An alternative, seven-step procedure for salary modeling and testing allegations of salary discrimination is outlined and applied in a case study of 725 faculty. (MSE)