Within State Transitions From 2-Year to 4-Year Public Institutions

[Excerpt] Within many large states there are multiple 2-year and 4-year institutions. In 1998-99, only 19 states had less than 15 public 2-year institutions. Of the 31 states with 15 or more public 2-year institutions, only 3 had 5 or fewer public 4-year institutions. State policymakers and system administrators should want to know how well each 2-year public institution is doing in preparing those of its students who transfer to public 4-year institutions in the state to successfully complete 4-year college study. Similarly, they should want to know how successful each 4-year college in the state is in graduating those students from 2-year colleges that transfer to it. This information could then be used either in summative evaluations that relate to resource allocation decisions, or more preferably, in formative evaluations in which knowledge of the best practices of the most successful institutions are transmitted to their sister institutions in the state. That is, the information could be used to help improve the performance of a state’s public higher education system. Our paper uses data provided to us by the Office of Institutional Research of the State University of New York (SUNY) to illustrate a methodological approach that can be used to address these issues. While the methodology we develop is applied to data from the SUNY system, the paper’s main purpose is to illustrate the methodology because we the approach can be usefully employed in any state that has multiple public 2-year and 4-year institutions. In the next section, we describe the SUNY system, discuss the data to which we have been granted access and sketch out our methodological approach. Empirical findings are provided in the following three sections and the sensitivity of our finding to the specific model estimated and sample of data used are examined. Section VI presents a discussion of the some of the conceptual and statistical limitations of our approach and the types of data that, if available, would improve the analyses

Parameterization of the Construction Promoter\u27s Responsibilities throughout the project\u27s life cycle

Europe, and especially Spain has been suffering an ongoing economic, social and political crisis. The construction industry sector has been one of the most affected. Project Management professionals in the construction industry are obliged to make a critical analysis of their results and methodology applications used in recent years. In this paper a methodology has been developed for parameterization and monitoring of projects, portfolios and programs from both the public or private Construction Promoter\u27s point of view -the real engine of the project-. This methodology analyses their responsibilities and those of the stakeholders throughout the project\u27s lifecycle, and allows the Promoter to make decisions based on accurate, realistic and factual knowledge. The project\u27s full data is completely accessible by the Promoter. Thus the Promoter is able to develop a Project Portfolio Management and Business Intelligence. The Next step in the methodology evolution is transferring it to an ICT tool, for a promoter\u27s systematic application. Project management will assist in providing a social improvement, this method is associated with current social demands at all levels and sectors -Transparency- thus allowing realtime monitoring of the building project\u27s status throughout all stages of the project\u27s life cycle

Cognitive Learning Strategies of Non-english Department Students on Noun Structure

Learning English for non-English department students is not as easy as it seems. Besides, as much as it is necessary to know how successful learners learn, not less important is to know how less successful learners learn. Using think aloud method, this study aims at finding out the cognitive strategies used by the engineering department students in answering incorrectly problems on TOEFL noun structure-the grammar point in which students made the most errors. Findings uncover the students' strategies and reasoning upon which pedagogical implications can be put forth so that more effective and fruitful instruction can be tailored

Within State Transitions from 2-Year to 4-Year Public Institutions

Within many large states there are multiple 2-year and 4-year public institutions. Our paper develops a methodology that can be used to help evaluate how well each 2-year public institution in a state is doing in preparing those of its students who transfer to 4-year public institutions to successfully complete their 4-year programs. Similarly, the methodology can be used to help evaluate how well each 4-year public institution is doing in graduating the those students from 2-year institutions who transfer to it. The methodology is illustrated using data provided by the Office of Institutional Research and Analysis of the State University of New York.

Intellectual Property Challenges in Replicating an American Graduate Program in Poland Experiences, Perspectives, and Lessons Learned

The article delineates some of the challenges in implementing of one of the global trends among universities - increased cooperation and collaboration to create and transfer intellectual property. Universities all over the world are increasing cooperation and collaboration in different fields. In addition to the traditional student and faculty exchanges, more and more universities are exploring deeper collaborations ranging from replication of degree programs to creation of dual degree programs. The article presents a case study of an extended collaboration to replicate a program founded by the University of Texas at Austin at the University of Lodz in Lodz, Poland. The transferred program is the year long executive MS in Science and Technology Commercialization (MSSTC) Program which focuses on wealth creation associated with intellectual property by transforming ideas based on science and technology into new products, new services, and new ventures to create jobs. The MSSTC program was transferred successfully from the University of Texas at Austin to the University of Lodz in Poland. However, one of the most significant challenges associated with the program replication across countries and cultures is how to best address a program’s intellectual property issues. This paper examines some of the intellectual property issues involved in transferring the MSSTC program like from a US to a Polish university. Some of the lessons learned re: intellectual property are delineated, examined, explored, and recommendations offered.Globalne trendy i międzynarodowy charakter komercjalizacji technologii sprawia, że pojawiły się globalne trendy do zacieśnienia współpracy pomiędzy uczelniami. Uniwersytety Trzeciego wieku oprócz misji edukacyjnej i naukowej włączają się w nurt przedsiębiorczości nazwanej akademickiej, współpracy z przemysłem i instytucjami rządowymi. Artykuł zwraca uwagę na istotną rolę transferu własności intelektualnej zawartej w programach edukacyjnych, szkoleniowych wymiany kadry i studentów. Współpraca rodzi wartość dodaną jako uzyskują uczelnie w postaci wspólnych programów lub transferu wiedzy z jednej uczelni do drugiej. Prezentowany artykuł zawiera również studium przypadku oparte na współpracy dwóch uczelni amerykańskiej i polskiej oraz transferze programu magisterskiego Komercjalizacji Nauki i Technologii z Austin do Łodzi. Udostępnienie wiedzy i najlepszych praktyk Instytutu IC2 w Austin obejmowało wyzwania związane z prawidłowym transferem własności intelektualnej wielu podmiotów jak wykładowców, uczelni, instytutu, doradców oraz innych osób pracujących przez wiele lat przy tworzeniu najlepszego w USA programu magisterskiego do zarządzania technologią. Autorzy zebrali najbardziej istotne problemy występujące podczas ich pracy w programie i przedstawili je w rozdziale Intellectual Property Challenges in Replicating an American Graduate Program in Poland Experiences, Perspectives, and Lessons Learned AbstractDruk materiałów sfinansowano ze środków Ministerstwa Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego w ramach projektu „Kreator innowacyjności – wsparcie innowacyjnej przedsiębiorczości akademickiej”

Measuring the Relative Performance of Providers of a Health Service

A methodology is developed and applied to compare the performance of publicly funded agencies providing treatment for alcohol abuse in Maine. The methodology estimates a Wiener process that determines the duration of completed treatments, while allowing for agency differences in the effectiveness of treatment, standards for completion of treatment, patient attrition, and the characteristics of patient populations. Notably, the Wiener process model separately identifies agency fixed effects that describe differences in the effectiveness of treatment ('treatment effects'), and effects that describe differences in the unobservable characteristics of patients ('population effects'). The estimated model enables hypothetical comparisons of how different agencies would treat the same populations. The policy experiment of transferring the treatment practices of more cost-effective agencies suggests that Maine could have significantly reduced treatment costs without compromising health outcomes by identifying and transferring best practices.

Should It Stay or Should It Go?: Exploring the potential for structural reform in Milwaukee County government

Milwaukee County government faces immediate and substantial fiscal and programmatic challenges. The county's structural deficit -- defined as the gap between expenditure needs and anticipated revenues -- is projected to grow from $48 million in 2011 to more than$106 million by 2014, despite several successive years of significant expenditure and staff reductions and anticipation of significant wage and benefit concessions in 2010. This projection is the clearest indication yet that the county's finances are crumbling and that valued services in areas like parks, transit, mental health and public safety face severe degradation without prompt and concerted action. This action could take any of several forms, including the complete elimination of Milwaukee County government. This report, commissioned by the Greater Milwaukee Committee, provides detailed analysis and perspective on the complex issues surrounding that option, as well as other potential structural changes

An Examination of Localization Success Factors of Chinese Big Four Accounting Firms

In May 2012, the Chinese government mandated that once the Big Four accounting (KPMG, PwC, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte) joint venture agreements expire, the firms must begin to localize most of the senior management. Although most of the Big Four firms employ many locals, there are more expatriate partners than Chinese counterparts. Because of this, the Big Four firms must quickly find qualified local senior management personnel. Amongst compliance and global regulatory issues, the Big Four firms must develop a strategy for localizing. Through a survey, this study aims to examine how expatriates and local Chinese managers perceive the effectiveness of the firm’s current localization plan. By analyzing external and internal forces that affect localization, I will make recommendations for the joint-venture accounting firms to plan, create, and execute a successful localization strategy

Parkview Medical Center: Underscoring the Importance of Communication in Pneumonia Care

Highlights successful strategies for excellence in pneumonia care, including evidence-based education, regular communication, and reinforcement via concurrent review; reassigning vaccination responsibilities; and improving antibiotic selection and timing