* * * * * * * * * * * * * The Electronic AIR * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Electronic Newsletter * * of the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) * * Serving Institutional Research Professionals * * and Those Engaged in Mgt. Research, Policy Analysis & Planning * * * * September 29, 1997. . . . . . . . . . .Volume 17, Number 12 * * Part A * * Editor - Larry Nelson, Pacific Lutheran University * * (NELSON_L@SALT.PLU.EDU) * * Subscription Mgt. - Norm Gravelle (air@mailer.fsu.edu) * * Jobs Editing - Jacque Frost, Purdue University * * (JLFROST@reg.purdue.edu) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Current Subscribers = 2375 * * Next Issue Target Publication Date: October 20, 1997 * * Next Issue Copy Deadline: October 17, 1997 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Table of Contents * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * EDITOR'S NOTE: If You Stop Receiving The Electronic AIR. . . . . * * THE CHANGING SCENE * * AIR NEWS - "AIR Alerts" Series to Debut This Week! * * AIR NEWS - AIR Member Directory to Arrive Soon - Note Corrections * * AIR NEWS - Minneapolis Zoo: A 1998 AIR Forum "Extra" * * AIR NEWS - Chapter Abstracts of NDIR Volume Number 92 * * NEWS - The Difference Between Student Right-to-Know and Graduation * * Rate Survey * * NEWSNOTES - Items of Interest to the Institutional Researcher * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * EDITOR'S NOTE: If You Stop Receiving The Electronic AIR. . . . . * * Larry Nelson, Pacific Lutheran University * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * I am frequently contacted by Electronic AIR subscribers who report that they're no longer receiving the newsletter in their e-mail boxes. Norm Gravelle, our list manager, (ngravell@mailer.fsu.edu) and I investigate each case and usually find that we have received previous issues back in our listowner mailboxes as undeliverable to the e-mail address in question. Unless we can determine some sort of obvious problem, we have no choice but to unsubscribe the person whose address is no longer accepting The Electronic AIR. Electronic AIR is generally distributed every 3rd Monday. If several weeks pass without your receiving a newsletter, I urge you to contact Norm Gravelle (ngravell@mailer.fsu.edu) directly to inquire as to what may have gone wrong. Most often, something has changed on your campus without our knowledge. We can usually rectify the problem if we hear from you. We can also give you information as to how to access any issues missed. We strive to get Electronic AIR into the e-mail boxes of all AIR members and other interested persons. We can do a better job with your help. Just let us know when a problem arises! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * THE CHANGING SCENE * * "A way to keep up with news about our colleagues." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This portion of the newsletter is devoted to keeping you informed about changes such as readers who relocate to new positions and/or institutions, professional recognition awards and honors, retirements, deaths, newly hired colleagues, promotions, etc. If you become aware of a change on your campus or elsewhere which should be mentioned in "The Changing Scene," please send me a note at with the key facts. Keep it brief, but include the information you think others would like to know. NAN BRIAN HU recently left a position as Assistant to the Dean of Academic Affairs at Hostos Community College (NY) to become Director of Institutional Research at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Good luck in the new job, Nan! MARY LELIK (mlelik@saintmarys.edu) recently left her position as Assistant Director of Institutional Research at Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville to accept the position of Director of Institutional Research at Saint Mary's College, Notre Dame, Indiana. Mary reports that she will miss her Illinois colleagues but looks forward to meeting and working with new friends in Indiana AIR. While in Illinois, Mary served as newsletter editor for Illinois AIR for two years. Congratulations and best wishes, Mary! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * AIR NEWS - "AIR Alerts" Series to Debut This Week! * * Mary Sapp, AIR President (msapp@miami.edu) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Editor's Note: As a result of the hard work of AIR President Mary Sapp, AIR's Higher Education Data Policy Committee (HEDPC) and others, AIR members will benefit from the new AIR Alerts series of informational updates on issues of importance to us all. I am pleased that Electronic AIR has been chosen as one of the primary means of distribution for AIR Alerts. We hope to put the first AIR Alert (on the Common Data Set) in your e-mail box on October 1. Watch for it! Larry - - - - - New AIR Alerts Series To Inform Members About Emerging Issues In Higher Education As announced at the 1997 Orlando Forum, AIR is undertaking a new publication series this year, titled AIR Alerts. The purpose of the AIR Alerts series is to present the AIR membership with timely and substantive information on data policy issues that may impact them in the future. The inaugural publication deals with the Common Data Set. Future topics include compliance with Student Right to Know, the IPEDS Graduation Rate Survey (GRS), and related NCAA reporting requirements; IPEDS developments beyond the GRS; collection/reporting of racial/ethnic classifications; and the National Postsecondary Education Cooperative. Each Alert will provide a concise briefing on an emerging issue in higher education, including a summary of the issue, the current status (and potential future developments), implications for institutions and institutional research, a timeline summarizing key historical developments and future deadlines, and resources relating to the topic. AIR Alerts will be issued in three formats on the World Wide Web (at http://www.fsu.edu/~air/airalerts.htm), via e-mail (to all subscribers to The Electronic AIR newsletter), and in AIR Currents, the Association's quarterly newsletter. Although many members will receive the same information in more than one format, it was felt that this duplication was necessary due to the variations in technology available to members. The web and e-mail versions will provide Alerts in the most timely manner, and the format used for the web and AIR Currents versions will allow the circulation of a professionally formatted document that will broaden dissemination of information about the topic (and also increase visibility of institutional researchers at our institutions). We hope members find this service beneficial and we encourage feedback, including requests for topics to include in future AIR Alert issues. Please send comments to Mary Sapp at: (msapp@miami.edu). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * AIR NEWS - AIR Member Directory to Arrive Soon - Note Corrections * * Susanne Pearson, AIR Office (spearson@mailer.fsu.edu) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 1997-98 AIR Directory The books are done and published. We are preparing the mailing to our current members this weekend, and everyone should receive their books within the next week or so. Unfortunately, some errors were discovered in the book, and we would like to make note of them at this time: 1) pg. 13 --Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research Please overlook the statement of the next volume being published in November 1995; this should have been taken out, but wasn't. Apologies! 2) pg. 25 -- Emeritus Membership Award Note under "General Policy" #2; Emeritus members *can* hold elective office and have the right to vote (book states that emeritus members do not have these privileges). 3) List of Members Alphabetically Some members' names were not carried over to the next column, and seem to "hang" at the bottom of the page. Our apologies for this oversight. 4) 1997 New Emeritus Members Unfortunately, the 1997 Emeritus members were not submitted in time for our publishing deadline. We will print up a sheet to enclose in each Directory that we send out in the future, to ensure these new emeritus members are recognized. Our sincerest apologies for the above errors. We wanted to ensure everyone receiving the Electronic AIR would be made aware of these mistakes, and to correct their copies once they were received. Thank you for your patience and understanding. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * AIR NEWS - Minneapolis Zoo: A 1998 AIR Forum "Extra" * * Alexandra Djurovich, MN Higher Ed. Svcs.(djurovich@heso.state.mn.us)* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of Electronic AIR articles to appear between now and next year's 1998 AIR Forum in Minneapolis. We appreciate the work that Alexandra will be doing to give an advance peek at what the 1998 Forum will be like. - - - - - When in Minneapolis for the 1998 AIR Forum, visit the Minnesota Zoo. It is only 10 minutes south of the Mall of America, and two easy bus rides from the downtown Minneapolis Forum site. The zoo is situated on 500 acres of land, featuring a combination of natural exhibits and trails with more than 2,300 animals, representing 375 different species of which 15 are on the endangered species list. The Minnesota Zoo consists of four major trails. 1. The "Minnesota Trail" features approximately 60 species of regional animals such a puma, lynx, beaver and otter in indoor, outdoor and nocturnal habitats. 2. Viewed from its winding pathways or from the monorail, the "Northern Trail" exhibits animals from the Northern Hemisphere. The trail includes moose, musk oxen, Bactrian camels, Siberian tigers, Mexican wolves and more, in natural settings. 3. "Discovery Bay" is the zoo's newest marine life exhibit, featuring year-round dolphin presentations in the 800-seat amphitheater, big sharks in the 200,000-gallon Shark Reef, an estuary and tide pool, where visitors can touch small sharks, rays, sea stars, sea anemones and other invertebrates, as well as a hands-on interpretative center, called Clubhouse Cove. 4. The lush setting of the "Tropics Trail" is home to white-cheeked gibbons, sun bears, Amur leopards and other tropical animals, including the Komodo dragons. A spectacular highlight of the trail is the 82,500-gallon coral reef exhibit that features brilliantly-colored tropical fish and sharks viewed from above or go below for floor-to-ceiling underwater viewing. For another new thrill, visit the new IMAX 3D Theatre. With its six-story-high screen, the latest three-dimensional film technology, and digital sound, you'll have a wholly different movie experience. Combined zoo and IMAX 3D Theatre admission prices range from $8 to $14. Hours: 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M. weekdays, and to 6:00 P.M. on weekends. Visit the Minnesota Zoo at: http://www.mnzoo.com. The zoo is one of a multitude of activities awaiting you at the 1998 AIR Forum in Minneapolis. See you in Minneapolis! Alexandra Djurovich Minnesota Higher Education Services Office 400 Capitol Square Building 550 Cedar Street St. Paul, MN 55101 Phone: (612) 296-9692 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * AIR NEWS - Chapter Abstracts of NDIR Volume Number 92 * * Fred Volkwein, Editor-In-Chief, NDIR * * and Jeffrey T. Gerken, University at Albany * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Editor's Note: Under the general sponsorship of the AIR Publications Committee, New Directions for Institutional Research (4 volumes per year) is published by Jossey-Bass in San Francisco. Annual subscriptions (at a discount to AIR members) are available through the national AIR Office in Tallahassee (air@mailer.fsu.edu). Single volumes and back orders are available for $22 plus $5.50 shipping from Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers, 350 Sansome St., San Francisco, Ca 94104. Toll free phone: (888) 378-2537. Fax: (800) 605-2665. Home page: http://www.josseybass.com - - - - - NDIR #92 (concluding volume in the 1996 Series) Title: Assessing Graduate and Professional Education: Current Realities, Future Prospects Editor: Jennifer Grant Haworth Chapters: 1. Challenges in Assessing Outcomes in Graduate and Professional Education, by Anne E. Bilder and Clifton F. Conrad. The authors note the paucity of the literature on graduate outcomes assessment and discuss the challenges in conducting these studies, including managing the risks of assessment results. 2. Assessing Demand for Graduate and Professional Programs, by Peter D. Syverson. Extensive demographic changes are expected to profoundly affect consumer demand for graduate and professional education. Syverson examines the implications for demand, as well as for the delivery and evaluation of programs. 3. Rethinking Admissions Criteria in Graduate and Professional Programs, by Linda Serra Hagedorn and Amaury Nora. The authors discuss current graduate-level admissions criteria and validity in predicting student success. They propose a potentially more effective model and discuss innovative admissions criteria. 4. Refocusing Quality Assessment on Student Learning, by Jennifer Grant Haworth and Clifton F. Conrad. The authors arrive at a new view of program quality after reviewing the prevailing views. They present a framework that includes a number of new quality criteria, indicators, and methods for assessing and improving student learning. 5. Increasing Student Retention in Graduate and Professional Programs, by Maresi Nerad and Debra Sands Miller. After providing an institutional perspective on doctoral student attrition, the authors outline a number of practical suggestions for assessing and improving student retention. 6. Documenting Student Outcomes in Graduate And Professional Programs, by Leonard L. Baird. Baird identifies five categories of student outcomes in graduate and professional education and offers a framework for assessing each one. He also describes and evaluates various methods for collecting data on student outcomes. 7. Assessment in Graduate and Professional Education: Present Realities, Future Prospects, by Jennifer Grant Haworth The author offers observations on the state of assessment in graduate and professional education and proposes an agenda for future research. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEWS - The Difference Between Student Right-to-Know and Graduation * * Rate Survey * * Daren Bakst, AACRAO (bakstd@aacrao.nche.edu) * * Reprinted From: AACRAO Gov't. Relations List * * (GOVREL-L@ASUVM.INRE.ASU.EDU) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Weekly Newsletter from the AACRAO Government Relations and Policy Analysis Department September 19, 1997, Vol. 1, No.11 What is the Difference Between the SRTK and the GRS? An issue that consistently confuses even the experts on the SRTK and the GRS are the differences between the two. They should be thought of as two different requirements. The Student Right-to-Know legislation was implemented by the Department of Education through regulations released on December 1, 1995. The law, among other things, requires that schools track cohorts of students beginning in the fall of 1996. After 150 percent of normal time has expired (i.e. for 4 year institution this means after 6 years), a school takes a "snapshot" and determines the graduation rate and transfer out rate of this cohort. This information must be disclosed to current and prospective students by the January 1 following 150 percent of normal time (4 year institutions: January 1, 2003). The Graduation Rate Survey is a new survey that the Office of Management and Budget recently gave clearance to the National Center for Education Statistics to mail out in October. It will also require schools to track cohorts. Institutions that have tracked cohorts beginning in 1991 (not 1996 as the SRTK requires) need to report graduation rates and transfer out rates for that cohort year. The survey will be due on March 1, 1998. The GRS asks for more information than the SRTK regulations require but the intention of the Secretary of Education and an issue that AACRAO has focused on is insuring that if you complete the GRS properly, you will not have to worry about the SRTK requirements. In other words, the SRTK requirements are a subset of the GRS requirements. There is one exception however. It is very important to note that the GRS will not meet the disclosure requirements of the SRTK. We believe that a good distinction to make is between reporting requirements (what you have to provide the Department of Education) and disclosure requirements (what you have to provide students, coaches, etc.). The GRS is merely a device that will compile the necessary data and properly report it to the Department of Education in compliance with the SRTK regulations. You will still have to disclose the necessary information to students, coaches, etc. If this all sounds confusing, it is. For this reason, AACRAO is holding 18 workshops across the country to discuss the SRTK and the GRS. For more information check out the AACRAO web site at www.aacrao.com or call our document on request service at 1-888-6AACRAO and request document number 1152. You can also contact Gloria Rutberg, AACRAO's Manager of Meetings and Conferences at rutbergg@aacrao.nche.edu or (202) 293-9161. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * NEWSNOTES - Items of Interest to the Institutional Researcher * * "Keeping up with what's new in the world!" * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * This portion of the newsletter is devoted to brief items of news that IR professionals may find of interest. Reader contributions are welcome. Send them to . - - - - - The National Center for Education Statistics is expected to mail out the inaugural Graduation Rate Survey beginning on October 8th. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact: Daren Bakst Director of Government Relations and Policy Analysis, AACRAO E-Mail: bakstd@aacrao.nche.edu Phone: (202) 293-9161 FAX: (202) 872-8857 - - - - - Access ERIC Relocates: On June 2, ACCESS ERIC moved. Please update your records with the following information: ACCESS ERIC 2277 Research Boulevard, 7A Rockville, MD 20850 Toll-Free Phone: 1-800-LET-ERIC (538-3742) Phone: (301)519-5789 FAX: (301) 519-6760 E-Mail: (acceric@inet.ed.gov) (unchanged) - - - - - EDRS Launches Electronic Document Delivery: Now you can order and receive ERIC documents electronically while helping the ERIC Document Reproduction Service (EDRS) test its new online delivery system. It's easy to get started--just register as a Beta Tester on the EDRS Web site at (http://edrs.com). Approximately 80 percent of ERIC documents from 1993 forward are available for online ordering and electronic delivery. (For the other 20 percent, ERIC has permission to provide microfiche copies only, which can also be ordered online.) Electronic images of ERIC documents are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). You can link to the Adobe Acrobat Reader from the EDRS Web site. During the Beta Test, electronic ERIC documents will be offered at the same price as paper copy ($4.08 for each 25-page increment). Prices will change when the Beta Test ends. You may pay for documents online with your Visa or Mastercard, or by charging your EDRS Deposit Account. Once an order is received it will take approximately 3 business days to convert the document to electronic format (if it's not already in the digital archive). Due to the nature of beta testing, order turnaround time cannot be guaranteed. To sign up: * Access the EDRS Web site at . * Go to the Beta Test Area. * Register as directed. An EDRS Customer Service Representative will contact you by e-mail with details. If you have any questions or would like to provide feedback, contact EDRS toll free at 1-800-443-ERIC (3742), locally at 703-440-1400, or via e-mail at . - - - - - Higher Education Web Site Upgrade: The ERIC Clearinghouse on Higher Education has redesigned its Web site. Researchers and administrators, as well as students and parents, will find a wide range of higher education information of interest, including: * Answers to frequently asked questions, such as "How can I find funding for college?" and "What college should I choose?" * A catalog for the ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report Series, a call for proposals from potential authors, and author guidelines. * An overview of the National Study of Higher Education Literature and other research initiatives. * Hot links to other higher education sites. Make sure you explore the "New and Noteworthy" area, which includes reviews and analyses of the latest higher education literature, answers to frequently asked statistical questions, and a section linking scholarly research to higher education practice. Visit the clearinghouse's Web site at: http://www.gwu.edu/~eriche/ - - - - - - - - - This newsletter is continued in Part B, sent separately. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * If you wish to subscribe, change your e-mail address, or request a * * subscription for someone else, send it to Norm Gravelle, AIR Exec-* * utive Office, (air@mailer.fsu.edu) (Florida State University). * * If you have AIR news, send it to Larry Nelson, Editor, at: * * (NELSON_L@SALT.PLU.EDU) (Pacific Lutheran University). * * (Please limit submissions to 72 characters or fewer per line and * * use mixed case, NOT ALL CAPS--NO NEED TO SHOUT.) * * If you have news for the SCUP electronic newsletter, send it to * * Terry Calhoun, SCUP Publ. Dir.,(terry@scup.ra.itd.umich.edu). * * For further information regarding individual or organizational * * membership in the Association for Institutional Research, contact * * Terrence Russell, Executive Director, AIR, 114 Stone Bldg., * * Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-3038; * * Telephone: (904) 644-4470 or on Internet: (air@mailer.fsu.edu). * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *