The Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, whose goal is facilitating resource sharing and cooperation, is described. Barriers to cooperation including absence of leadership, lack of adequate financial incentives, and the tendency to encourage and reward isolated behavior are discussed. (MLW)

The crisis in higher education has generated a movement toward statewide and regional cooperation among colleges and universities. An example is the Academic Affairs Conference of Midwestern Universities, a consortium of five institutions in Illinois and Indiana. Describes the AACMU development. (Author)

The critical issues of the effect of Consortia on cooperating institutions and interinstitutional planning are problems of reciprocity and autonomy, coordination of programs among diverse institutions, and strategies for campus involvement and leadership. (Author/JN)