Information Systems and Decision Processes in Higher Education

Increasing demands are being made on higher education by faculty, students, and state and federal governments in a time of diminishing resources and increasing complexities. The internal needs of management and the external requirements of a multitude of constituencies demonstrate the need for data that are not only accurate and relevant but also timely. One institution's approach to decisionmaking and to the use of the computer in the very human enterprise of education are given. Various complexities-such as shifting student interests, increasing legislative demands, and intensifying management concerns-are examined as they impact decisionmaking and create greater demands on decisionmakers. Examples include an intent structure for information needs, the impact of an enrollment shortfall, and the structure of a resource-allocation model.