Institutional Expenditure Patterns and the Facilitation of Mission

Abstract

Considering that efficiency and effectiveness have been recent domains of high criticism from state legislators and the general public, it is important that the public perceives an institution's system of governance as performing efficiently and delivering programs effectively. Such perceptions lead to public confidence and support and positive perceptions of an institution's contribution to the state's well-being. Creating public confidence and trust in an institution as a good investment contributes to the institutional growth and development that fulfill the primary missions of institutions: instruction, research, and public service (Cohen, Brawer, & Associates, 1994).How higher education institutions fulfill their mission through the resource allocation process can be examined by four criteria in an economic model described by Tuckman and Chang (1990, p. 54): (a) a set of goals can be identified that results in increases in the satisfaction of decision-makers; (b) where multiple decision-makers are involved, a means can be found to select from among the myriad of sometimes conflicting goals of participants; (c) enough goal stability exists that the optimal resource allocation remains fairly stable; and (d) increases in the resources devoted to pursuing goals can be related to recognizable outputs.One of the greater powers residing with college presidents and governing boards in higher education is the allocation of educational and general funding in fulfilling the institution's mission in the most efficient and effective manner possible (Vandament, 1989). Satisfaction with an institution's efficiency and effectiveness in fulfilling its mission is accentuated when the president or governing board allocates resources to those goals that yield the highest utility, thus establishing equilibrium and pat-Community

Investing in student persistence: a regression analysis of institutional expenditure patterns and retention and graduation rates at private baccalaureate colleges and universities

“…Although institutional missions may differ, a common goal for all colleges and universities is educating students. Regardless of an institution's budgeting procedures or its organization culture, this study reemphasized the importance of focusing on the institutional mission, namely, the education of students, throughout the resource allocation process in order to improve retention and graduation (Thompson & Riggs, 2000;Vandament, 1989).…”

The Legislative Evolution of Performance Funding in the North Carolina Community College System

“…al., 1977). Tennessee's higher education performance funding program, reported to be the oldest in the nation, has been the subject of extensive analysis and interpretation (Banta, 1985;Banta, 1988;Banta & Fisher, 1984;Banta, Rudolph, Van Dyke, & Fisher, 1996;Mayes, 1995;Thompson & Riggs, 2000).…”