After two decades of increase, state funding for higher education is drying up because of inflation and declining state revenues due to recession. States need to reemphasize the importance of higher education. Political action may be the way to reverse the downward trend in state financing of higher education. (MLW)

This report presents recommendations for a Unified Higher Education Budget for Alabama for fiscal year 1995-96. The recommendations are designed to effect improvements in the allocation of scarce education resources. An introductory section analyzes higher education funding over the 23-year period that the state-mandated unified budget…

This paper examines trends in the support of public higher education versus that for prisons in New York State over the last decade and concludes that the dramatic rise in funding for prison expansion has come at the expense of higher education. The paper notes that (1) since fiscal year 1988, operating budgets at New York's public universities…

Analysis of patterns of federal and state spending on student aid, enrollment patterns, and policies that sometimes work at cross-purposes suggests that, although the machinery is in place for an equitable system, the American people must adjust their spending priorities to invest more seriously in the country's human resources. (MSE)

Trends affecting higher education and prospects based on these facts are considered, with attention to enrollment, inflation, ability to pay for college, state and local support, basic research, and employment in higher education. It is claimed that the most serious problem higher education has faced in the last decade has been inflation, not…

Data on state aid to higher education is compiled in a variety of ways, using a variety of classification and and analysis methods, but can be misleading or misused and cause bitter political disputes about the strength of state support. (MSE)

Examines trends in state financial school support in terms of increasing costs, state courts' attitudes, complications in school finance systems, national attention on local policies, and the need for policymakers to broaden their concerns. (KS)

This report is intended to provide current information and integrated analysis of state-level higher education policy developments. Part 1 considers state funding support in the following categories: changing rules, effects of changing rules, survival in a changing game, and the growth industry of higher education. Part 2 examines issues concerned…

This report is an edited version of the transcript of a seminar held to explore the problem of increasing costs and defining productivity in higher education. The main paper, by William Massey, presents a conceptual model explaining the forces driving up costs in academic departments of institutions of higher education. Under the model there have…

The northeast's economic problems have had a serious impact on higher education in student access, faculty contracts, faculty "brain drain," rising tuition, more time spent completing degrees, and decaying facilities. Higher education must shift its emphasis away from mere survival and back to creativity in teaching and research. (MSE)

Argues that, if higher education is serious about achieving sustained policy to support the arts, it must build consensus about the value of art, artists, and artistic freedom. Politically, more attention is given to tactics than to underlying philosophy. Trend data for National Endowment for the Arts funding and state arts funding in New England…

Problems affecting the survival of private colleges, including declining enrollment, inflation, costs, efficiency, public attitude, and competition with public institutions for students and federal and state aid are discussed. Thoughts about planning for the future are presented, with focus on planning and support at the state level. (JMD)

This report identifies and discusses some key findings of a data base project that analyzed public finance of public education over 35 years in California. It seeks to understand the relationship between state policy, as expressed in the Master Plan for Higher Education, and financial support of higher education. Among findings highlighted are the…

Student financial aid programs currently play a key role in general governmental support for postsecondary education, and this role is likely to increase in the future. The potential future impact of financial aid on institutions is discussed, with a consideration of program admnistration and alternative delivery mechanisms. (Author/JMD)

The role of the U.S. government in higher education finance and the ability and willingness of the states to support higher education at past levels are discussed. In the United States, financing is decentralized and pluralistic: federal, state, and local governments--as well as students, alumni, and private enterprise--all contribute. The states,…