Amid a national debate about paying college athletes, the NCAA likes to tout its often-overlooked Student Assistance Fund, whose goal is to provide direct financial support to players. The fund--which draws from the association's multibillion-dollar media-rights deals--will distribute some $75-million this year to Division I athletes. The money…

When Brad R. Simpson visited the University of Connecticut for a job interview in February, he was struck by a vibe that he finds increasingly rare on college campuses. People, he says, were optimistic. At a time when he encounters many demoralized professors, as campuses across the nation slash budgets and freeze hiring, the University of…

This article looks at how the financial crisis has affected people in different areas of higher education. Matthew V. Filipic, senior vice president for business and fiscal affairs and treasurer at Wright State University, is forceful in arguing that the university must consider students when setting budget priorities. These are uneasy times at…

As state tax revenues plummet, some lawmakers and higher-education leaders are once again looking at loosening the bonds between state governments and public colleges to save money and give colleges the freedom to bolster their bottom lines in new ways. Over the past two decades, college officials have often lamented the growing need to secure…

Financial stewardship by college governing boards too often stops at balancing the budget. That was the message two finance experts presented last week during the annual meeting of the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges. Furthermore, the yearly budget exercise can give trustees a misperception of their institutions'…

Colleges and universities are increasingly spending resources to become more global. For more than 20 years, the author has participated in, or served as a consultant to, the internationalization efforts of a broad range of institutions--research universities, regional state universities, private liberal-arts colleges, and community colleges--and…

When the Department of Education released the first-year results for the Academic Competitiveness and National Smart Grant programs, it tried to put a positive spin on its disappointing numbers. There seemed no getting around this fact: The 2006-2007 participation rates for the two new grant programs, which supplement Pell Grants for low-income…

Legislation that passed and died in the 99th Congress is outlined, including acts concerning curriculum and related programs, research, foreign students, faculty and other personnel policies, public agencies, presidential libraries, tax reform, the G.I. Bill, and graduate medical education. (MSE)

The top 100 colleges and universities in total federal obligations for fiscal 1989 are ranked, with total dollar amounts of federal aid listed. Altogether the institutions will receive almost $9.5 billion of the $15.5 billion allocated to all institutions. (MSE)

In this article, the author discusses the Democratic victories that have raised expectations on college campuses in part because a number of the gubernatorial candidates, including Deval L. Patrick, emphasized themes of access and affordability in their campaigns. Mr. Patrick, the governor-elect of Massachusetts, traveled to the University of…

A few days before President Bush officially released his 2008 budget, administration officials announced that it would contain a historic increase in the maximum Pell Grant. The increase in Pell Grants would be paid for by cutting subsidies for student loans, a step that experts predicted could induce lenders to offer fewer benefits to borrowers.…

State spending for higher education in the US grew at the fastest rate during the 2005-2006 fiscal year, allowing most colleges in the nation to regain their financial balance after a series of tight budgets for five years. A new analysis by the Center for the Study of Education Policy, at Illinois State University reported that the total…

The National Collegiate Athletic Association revenues and expenditures are summarized and the percentage changes from 1988 to 1989 are tabulated. (MSE)

Summarizes fiscal year 2000 appropriations for the U.S. Department of Education, noting especially the 34 percent increase in support for the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education. A chart compares figures for fiscal 1999, the President's request, House committee approval, Senate approval, and inclusion in the final bill for programs…

State appropriations requests for higher education show the amount sought by statewide coordinating boards or by individual systems, not by the governors. All appropriations requests are for operating expenses for the 1987-88 fiscal year. (Author/MLW)