ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A descriptive approach called benchmarking was used to describe processes meeting NDTYI design specifications. We intended that institutions wishing to transform a major design element in the direction of NDTYI recommendations could use the processes benchmarked in this report as means to set concrete goals for outcomes and identify specific activities needed to reach the goals. While only five sites for five different design elements of NDTYI were selected for benchmarking in this report, the general approach serves as an illustration of what could be done in any design element which an institution wished to transform.

We want to thank the following individuals who conducted the benchmarking studies with our direction. The studies reflect their special talents in investigating and reporting new designs for higher education. The individuals are (in order of the chapters in the report)

• Reid Haglin (with the assistance of his wife, Lynn)--Learning Process
  
  
• G. David Sayre--Learning Partnerships
  
  
• Jan Doebbert--Learning Environment (emphasizing learning technology)
  
  
• Kathy Hefty--Learning Finance

These individuals have a common characteristic in that they are all participants in the doctoral studies component of the Leadership Academy for Two-Year Institutions of Higher Education at the University of Minnesota.

The other chapter on Learning Staff and Staff Development was conducted and written by me with the support of the National Center for Research in Vocational Education site at the University of Wisconsin-Madison as part of the project entitled, "Teacher Learning in the Workplace and Community." Special thanks go to L. Allen Phelps, University of Wisconsin NCRVE Site Director, for his encouragement and financial support to do this part of the study. The chapter on Learning Staff and Staff Development will also be published as a case study series by the Teacher Learning in the Workplace and Community project.

Most importantly, we want to give special thanks to the individuals and institutions who opened their doors to our study request and took time to graciously host site visits and respond to our questions. These individuals are noted in each of the chapters, and there were several at each site. The following are the study sites and the key individuals at each site:

• Learning Process: San Diego Community College in California; Barbara McDonald, Director of CWELL Action Research Center
  
  
• Learning Partnerships: Fox Valley Technical College in Wisconsin; Martin Gentz, Vice President for Instructional Services
  
  
• Learning Staff and Staff Development: Miami-Dade Community College in Florida; Marie Nock, Director of College Training and Development
  
  
• Learning Environment (Technology): Higher Education and Advanced Technology (HEAT) Center at Lowry in Colorado; Don Goodwin, Executive Director, and Mary Ann Roe, Planning, Development & Special Projects
  
  
• Learning Finance: Sauk Valley Community College in Illinois; Jani Bradley, Vice President of Administrative Services
  
  The following individuals were central to producing the report in a quality fashion:
  
  
• Lauren Jacobs who served as outside reviewer for NCRVE
  
  
• Michelle Englund who provided overall editing assistance
  
  
• Tami Hanson, Amy Petricka, and Sarah Sargent who provided secretarial support

Thank you for your thoughtful and careful attention to the content and format of the report.

We hope individuals and institutions interested in New Designs for Two-Year Institutions of Higher Education find this report stimulating and encouraging as they address the needed transformations in our institutions of higher education.

George H. Copa November, 11, 1997 St. Paul, Minnesota