Total Quality Management : administrative applications in higher education

Total Quality Management (TQM) programs are designed to improve each customer\u27s satisfaction with an institution\u27s goods (education) and services (administration) through a systematic redefinition of institutional priorities and employee attitudes. How can an institution attempt such an extensive revamping of itself? The answer appears relatively simple, yet remains elusive to many. The answer is through the hands of its staff. TQM models have been working their way into institutions of higher education for a number of years. As community colleges, public and private colleges, universities, and proprietary schools find themselves competing for a limited number of potential clients, each seeks ways to increase the chances that a student will attend their institution. Some institutions have realized that it is not only the strength of the academic programs which lures prospective students to campus, but also the degree to which each student is treated as someone special. This realization has led a growing number of institutions to investigate various total quality management models