Learning Resources

Abstract: A reprint of the 1976 article with a new 2015 introduction by the author.

Original abstract: Drawing on his experience as Provost for Planning at West Virginia University, Raymond M. Haas deals in the following article with the importance of a proper charge to the Planning Office as a means of achieving integrated planning. He further proposes that the role of the Planning Office should be clearly coordinative in the nature--to the point where its only responsibility for actual planning should be in planning the planning process. Finally, he argues that "... integrated planning can be achieved only when planning is a regularly scheduled activity which occurs frequently, and which produces results that manifest themselves in the allocation, reallocation, and effective use of resources within the institution." The author's remarks have been adapted from his presentation at the Society's 11th Annual Conference in Washington, D.C.

Abstract: Postsecondary institutions are increasingly becoming more diverse. To ensure that the campus culture is appreciative of such diversity, many institutions are including language in their policies and implementing programs that demonstrate their commitment to diversity. One such means for communicating institutional commitment to diversity is through the strategic plan. As the basis for establishing institutional priorities and determining which initiatives get funded, the strategic plan can reflect the institution’s true commitment to diversity by purposefully incorporating plans for diversity throughout the document. This research sought to understand what was already being done in regard to diversity and strategic planning at both the system and individual institution level so that information can be relayed about what works and has the greatest impact and therefore should be considered when developing a strategic plan that pays attention to and appreciates diversity. Findings suggest that although institutions are including diversity initiatives in their strategic plans, there needs to be greater attention paid to diversity within the strategic plan.

Abstract: The mission of Instruction Matters Purdue Academic Course Transformation (IMPACT) is to redesign foundational courses using student-centered learning as a basis. The libraries' advancement of this campus-wide change will be discussed from three perspectives—administrative, space planning, and curriculum redesign. Discussion will focus on the changing expectations for librarians, especially as instructional partners, the redesigning of library learning spaces to support instructional innovation, and elements necessary for developing a faculty learning community focused on enhancing student-centered learning.

Abstract: The number of individuals receiving a U.S. doctorate degree continues to grow; however, we know little about the precise factors that affect wages for recent doctorate recipients over time. Using data from approximately 10,000 respondents who completed the Survey of Doctorate Recipients, the study presented in this article examines factors contributing to wage growth over the time period 1999–2008. Findings show wage benefits for degree recipients over the decade, but also show significant differences by gender, race, discipline, and other characteristics. Findings have strong implications for individuals who may consider doctorate or other advanced training, for academic planners, and for policies in graduate education.

Abstract: The article discusses the challenges that community colleges face in increasing college degree completion in an era of budget reductions and fiscal constraints. The analysis draws on data collected in the 2011 Survey of Access and Finance in which responses were obtained from all 51 members of the National Council of State Directors of Community Colleges (NCSDCC).

Abstract: As the importance of college increases, our collective understanding of what college is, exactly, has begun to expand. This article contributes to this emerging understanding by describing the multifunctional nature of the community college. To this end, the community college movement is framed in three ways—as a launching pad, as a (re)launching pad, and as a local commitment. The article concludes with a brief discussion of the need to support the community college movement moving forward.

Abstract: This case study analyzes the impact of Indiana’s Twenty-First Century Scholars college tuition discount program on the academic self-efficacy of high-risk, low-income students. The program is designed to increase the number of high-risk individuals attending college. The self-efficacy “training” of the program helps instill and reinforce the idea that success or failure coincides with internal effort and not external factors. Surveys were completed by 55 program participants and 42 institutional representatives at different colleges in Indiana. The program increased students’ understanding of the feasibility of attaining a college degree, heightened students’ academic confidence, and improved their overall self-esteem. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of this program for academic planners developing programs to help high-risk students succeed in college.

Abstract: Educational technology units must continually monitor their strategic plans to ensure that they are aligned with the evolving realities of their institutions. Strategic dissonance occurs when previously successful strategies are no longer achieving the same results. This article uses the Virtual Retina project as an example of strategic dissonance for the Academic Technologies for Learning at the University of Alberta. A number of methods for analyzing the strategies used by educational technology units are presented. These methods provide a means for units within institutions of higher education to conduct the ongoing task of renewing their strategic plans.