Effective use of accreditation as it continues to evolve is important to maintain educational quality. How accreditation developed its characteristics, use of standards, and conception of quality are discussed. (Author/MLW)

Traces changes in the federal role in and priorities for higher education and poses questions concerning the relationship between the federal government and the accrediting community. Highlights reports evidencing state concern for quality and differences among the states with regard to program review and accreditation. (DMM)

The roles of accrediting associations and college trustees in promoting the quality of educational operations are considered. Voluntary accrediting associations have established a framework for institutional and program self-regulation, including the concept of peer review, and have emphasized the evaluation of institutions and programs in the…

Developments that highlight the importance of state oversight and authorization of higher education institutions and the objectives of the current Colorado Springs seminar on this topic are considered. In addition to the basic fact that states are the origin of chartering, licensing, and authorization of educational institutions, states have…

Outcomes of the Bakke decision and the role of the state in developing an effective post-Bakke agenda are addressed. While the Supreme Court rejected the doctrine of complete racial neutrality in admissions decisions, there is ambiguity in the decision that could be used to rationalize complacency and justification of the status quo, doing away…

The adequacy of existing coordinating and governing structures in higher education is considered. Some of the changed conditions that current boards are confronting are as follows: declining college enrollments, the need to find new student clienteles, the effect of decreased job opportunities for college graduates on public attitudes on funding…

Trends and changing conditions likely to affect state higher education boards and their functions, and responses to the changes are the focus of this paper. Three underlying factors are identified--that all changes will not affect all states in the same way, that no two state boards are exactly alike, and that many of the more recently established…

Although the federal influence on higher education is important, throughout the United States' history the state role in higher education has been a vital and changing one, and not always uniform. In 1976, two-thirds of the institutional revenue coming from government came from the states, making the state issue an important one. One of the most…

Relations between colleges/college governing boards and statewide coordinating boards, and alternatives to coordination, are considered. The history of statewide coordinating boards is briefly sketched, and it is suggested that current conditions and trends require both state and institutional responses. Among the issues are declining enrollments…

The history of the interrelation among state approval, accreditation, and institutional eligibility is considered. It is suggested that faculty and college administrators can be either an internal or external group in relationship to the planning process. The federal government, or the state government, passes legislation that may have both…

The crucial role of the states in postsecondary education and the changing conditions in higher education are addressed. It is noted that the states constitute the largest single source of funding for higher education and have the largest investment in it, and historically and constitutionally are primarily responsible for education. Important…