Despite being criticized as unrepresentative and misleading, retention and graduation rates are an important part of college-search web sites and accountability systems, and they frequently have been used as indicators of institutional quality and effectiveness in educational research. Retention and graduation rates are often compared over time…

Investigated longitudinal effects of being a first-generation college student on attrition. Results indicated that first-generation students were more likely to depart than their counterparts over time. After controlling for factors such as race, gender, high school grade point average (GPA), and family income, the risk of attrition was 71 percent…

Explored the multicultural predispositions of 437 students in a Central Appalachian university, discovering which sort of multicultural programs garner weaker and stronger support. Tested explanatory models incorporating a mix of 21 independent variables, some drawn from sociological, psychological, and political science studies of reactions to…

Explored how readily available data from the Institute of Scientific Inquiry may be used to estimate the number of scholarly articles written by an institution's faculty. Shows how institutions are ranked according to total publications and the ratio of publications to full-time faculty, how these measures vary by type of institutions, and how…

Tested a model of administrative job satisfaction using a database of almost 1,200 managers at 120 public and private universities. The robust model explained 54 percent of the variance in overall job satisfaction. Results indicated that few state, campus, and personal characteristics exert direct effects on job satisfaction; they affect work…

Used data from the 1993 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty to examine the status (employment status, salary, rank, tenure) of women and minorities among faculty employed at public 2-year colleges. Found that human capital, structural, and market characteristics appear to explain the observed differences between women and men and some…

Examined whether institutional mission, as represented by Carnegie classification, is related to student learning and development. After controlling for student background characteristics, no meaningful differences were found in students' perceptions of the college environment, levels of academic and social involvement, integration of information,…

Examined the extent to which jobs of women academic scientists are disproportionately concentrated in large cities, areas with many colleges, and doctoral production centers. Also investigated if employment variables are affected. Found that, irrespective of family status, women faculty are more likely to reside in these areas, and that geographic…

Used data from the 1993 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty to examine characteristics of faculty who supplement their institutional salaries, and the extent to which likelihood and amount of supplemental income vary between men and women. Found that 75 percent of full-time faculty supplement their income, and that women are less likely to…

Examined the organizational characteristics of 51 higher education institutions in relationship to student performance and growth. Findings included that the different 2-year and 4-year campus missions do exert significantly different influences on undergraduate GPA and self-reported intellectual growth, with students at 2-year institutions…

Examined how precollege experiences predispose students to democratic outcomes: ability to see the world from another perspective, beliefs that conflict enhances democracy, and views about social action's importance. Found that first-year females are more likely than males to report these values, and that race/ethnic or controversial discussions,…

Evaluated the usefulness of three approaches for predicting college grades: traditional regression models, high-school-effects models, and hierarchical linear models. Found that both the high-school-effects and the hierarchical linear models were more accurate predictors of freshman GPA than the traditional model, particularly for lower-ability…

Applied the technique of artificial neural networks to predict which students were likely to apply to one research university. Compared the results to the traditional analysis tool, logistic regression modeling. Found that the addition of artificial intelligence models was a useful new tool for predicting student application behavior. (EV)

An allocation model for teaching and nonteaching staff developed at the University of Utrecht is characterized as highly normative, leading to lump sums to be allocated to academic departments. Details are given regarding the reasons for designing the new model and the process of implementation. (Author/MLW)

The types and number of faculty cases litigated and reported at state and federal levels for the 1982 calendar year are discussed. From categorical data summaries, suggested institutional research data bases and studies were formulated as advanced planning mechanisms. (Author/MLW)