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The objective of this paper is to identify common essential information and data needs of colleges and universities and to suggest a model to integrate these data needs into one office or department. The paper suggests there are five major data and information foundations that are essential to the effective functioning of an institution: (a) accreditation support; (b) analytical reporting; (c) assessment; (d) data management and reporting; and (e) planning and scanning. Additionally, this paper presents the top five tasks within each of the five major foundations and offers insight on methods and best practices to organize and accomplish these tasks. The paper is not designed to provide an in-depth coverage of each data foundation. The following are appended: (1) Committee Report--Gap Analysis/Audit of Standards for Regional Accreditation; and (2) Accreditation Status Update. [For "Conducting Focus Groups with College Students: Strategies to Ensure Success. Professional File. Number 127, Fall 2012," see ED573089.]

Program reviews became widely used as quality assurance activities in the United States beginning in the 1970s. Since then, they have evolved as an essential component in demonstrating institutional effectiveness to accrediting bodies. The paper discusses various approaches to reviews with a focus on a recently reengineered institutional program review process. The new process incorporates the traditional features of academic quality assurance as well as more recent accountability and assessment issues. An important feature of the reengineered program review is an increased emphasis on follow-up to ensure outcomes from the review that are designed to improve the academic programs. Appended are: (1) Sample Format for Self-Studies; (2) Consultant's Report Sample Format and Coverage; and (3) FAMU's Academic Program Review Cycle.

Accountability in higher education promotes measurable outcomes considered indicative of performance, productivity, and quality. One prominent measure in evaluating baccalaureate programs is the proportion of graduates continuing to the graduate level. This study combined a well-established follow-up program, which includes education enrollment data at all levels of in-state public institutions in Florida, with the EdEvaluator program of the National Student Clearinghouse, which captures approximately 91% of higher education enrollment nationwide, to track graduates continuing their education in other states or at instate private institutions. The study examined baccalaureate graduates' enrollment behaviors by comparing characteristics and patterns of students continuing their education in-state and out-of-state. Of the state's 34,964 baccalaureate graduates, 11,287 continued their education following graduation, and 7,222 of these continued their education in-state. Graduates from some engineering, life sciences, and physical sciences programs were more likely than those in most disciplines to continue their education out-of-state. (Contains 9 tables and 17 references.) (SLD)

A study was undertaken in Florida to examine the impact of the state universities on the state's workforce, using data sources from a follow-up program called the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program, which uses data from the unemployment insurance wage database, federal employment databases, continuing education data at all levels, public assistance records and state prison incarcerations. Graduates from the 1998-99 academic year employed in Florida (21,680) were matched to employer wage reports to determine which industries are hiring the graduates, the graduates' immediate employment status, and the graduates' average earnings by college major and by industry. These academic programs had at least 25 graduates, at least 70% of whom were employed in Florida: education, health, business, social work, and public administration. Engineering and several science programs had the lowest rates of employed graduates in Florida. Average full-quarter earnings were $7,408 for women and $8,508 for males. College majors with the highest average earning rates were surveying (highest), engineering, and engineering technology. Majors whose graduates received the lowest were agriculture and natural resources. The document contains recommendations to develop industry to match programs that had the greatest strengths and to encourage students to enroll in programs for high-demand occupations. (Contains 13 references.) (KC)

This paper presents the methodology developed by the State University System of Florida (SUS) to propose new programs and evaluate their viability prior to approval. Universities must initially request that programs for development be placed on the 5-year strategic plan. Once on the SUS strategic plan, universities may submit proposals following a prescribed format that includes: program description; institutional mission; planning process and timetable; assessment of need and demand; curriculum; institutional capability; assessment of impact on programs currently offered; community college articulation; assessment of applicable accreditation standards; and productivity. A review format consisting of 25 criteria (and standards for each criteria) is used. Once a proposal is submitted, Board action on new degree proposals consists of one of the following: no action, no action with an invitation to resubmit, planning authorization, and implementation authorization. Universities must demonstrate through the proposals that sufficient resources have been committed to the program to ensure its quality. A new system to follow up on programs through the program review process is being developed. Appended are: the new degree proposal format; criteria and standards for evaluating new degree proposals; and a sample chart of ratings on the 25 criteria. (Contains 10 references.) (SM)

This study of the State University System of Florida examined the relationship of demographic factors and college performance to various types and amounts of financial aid, student employment rates, and earnings of employed students. The state's unemployment insurance wage records were used to identify employed students, the university's financial aid database and student course files were used to identify demographic data, financial aid status, and student grades. The study found that high levels of financial aid and low rates of employment were associated with higher course loads. Among students of traditional college age, high levels of financial aid and low rates of employment were also associated with higher grade point averages. In general, women tended to have higher rates of employment and financial aid than men. Generally, students who were not employed had higher GPAs than employed students. Younger students had a wider range of average GPAs than older students. Overall, the percentage of financial aid recipients by class level decreased from freshman to senior level and the percentage employed increased. Results suggest that inadequate aid, which leads to higher employment rates, is likely to decrease credit hours taken per semester and thus lengthen the time to degree. (DB)

This paper describes the collaborative activities which have developed since 1998 Florida legislation that required stronger articulation between Associate in Science (AS) programs at state community colleges and baccalaureate programs at universities. Three major models of AS to baccalaureate articulation are evaluated: (1) a statewide career ladder model; (2) an AS to specialized baccalaureate model; and (3) an AS to Bachelor's in Applied Technology (BAT) model. Issues addressed in formulating guidelines for transforming the AS degree into a transfer degree included: the need to preserve existing "go-to-work" objectives of the AS programs; the need to ensure that regional and specialized accreditation are not jeopardized; and whether all or only some AS programs should be designed for transfer. The career ladder model is applied to seven pilot disciplines: nursing, radiological sciences, computer science, business (general), accounting, hospitality management, and engineering technology. Development of articulation agreements by faculty discipline committees is reported and a draft agreement for electrical engineering technology is offered as an example. Standards for maintaining accreditation are also addressed. General standards for the second model, the capstone model, are also summarized but will primarily be at the discretion of individual universities. (DB)

This paper discusses issues surrounding the use of licensure examination results as measures of outcome in institutions of higher education. Based on informal telephone surveys of several state university systems, and on information obtained from national certification organizations, faculty experts, reviews of the literature, and the experience of the State of Florida, the study finds no uniformity of opinion regarding the use of certification and licensure examination results to assess academic programs; examinations are seen more as a measure of student ability than program validity. Appendixes include: a list of national examination agencies by discipline; brief synopses of survey results of state universities and systems conducted from December 1997 through March 1997; a table of national licensure information by discipline; and a short monograph on the State of Florida's experiences in obtaining pass rate data. (CH)

This paper discusses the implications of the enactment of legislation in Florida in 1995 mandating the standardization of requirements for baccalaureate degree programs within the state university system. The paper also describes the tools and methodology created by that state's university system for addressing the tasks of implementing the new requirements. These requirements mandate that all baccalaureate degree programs be reduced to 120 credit hours, that general education requirements be reduced at all state institutions to 36 hours, and that common degree program prerequisites be standardized, offered, and accepted by all of Florida's 9 public universities and 28 community colleges within 1 calendar year of enactment. A consequence of the new law is that course offerings, which may differ among state institutions, must be acceptable to all institutions with respect to transferability. This reduction in coursework and a pending tuition surcharge on hours taken beyond the degree requirements has met with generally negative assessments from students. The ultimate outcome of these changes is presently unclear. Appendices provide an inventory of bachelor's degree programs by credit hours to degree and a list of work templates for standardizing prerequisites. (CK)

To meet increasing demand, the State University System (SUS) of Florida has initiated joint program evaluations with the major professional accrediting bodies. As accreditation and program reviews typically demand similar information and similar procedures the two activities can be synchronized. The purpose of assessing and enhancing quality, a cornerstone of both types of review, forms the basis for joint reviews. SUS has developed and used a variety of models to suit the parameters of each review: first, coordinating only the self-study component; second, Board staff reviewing the self-study document prepared for accreditation, accompanying the accreditation examining team on the site visit, and reviewing the accreditation report; third, coordinated site visits with different reports; and, fourth, coordination of both site visit and self-study. Particularly difficult is synchronizing reviews involving programs at several universities. SUS lessons learned from coordination efforts include: (1) reviews should be carefully timed to allow for preparation and complex scheduling; (2) joint reviews should be conducted only with strong accrediting bodies; (3) many options should be considered; (4) different models should be used for different circumstances; (5) the increased manpower of joint reviews can result in greater site visit efficiency; (6) the SUS consultant/s should not vote on accreditation standards if involved in the entire site visit. (Contains three references.) (JB)