The project of building the tenth University of California (UC) campus--UC Merced--was a lightning rod for all the various pushes and pulls in California society between 1983 and 2005. In fact, the author suggests, the project provides a clear window into California during this period. In this chapter, she describes the political and economic…

In Australia a major national reform of universities is currently under way that is resulting in tension between government control and market forces.

Increased self-regulation is seen as the most promising means to bridge the present gap between government requirements and campus compliance. Academic institutions need to develop new self-directed methods for resolving conflict. Building a mediation component into grievance procedures is one solution. (MLW)

Explores the history and evolution of the "Wisconsin idea," a commitment by this university to provide direct benefits to its commonwealth. Discusses the idea's origins from 1874 to 1914, "going national" from 1914 to 1956, the post-World War II transition, and current, varied linkages with state agencies, private companies,…

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)

This article discusses the need to reconcile the rising demand for public accountability with the important historical linkage between liberal education and academic freedom. He urges universities and government to join forces in measuring performance in order to serve functions of accountability and freedom. (DB)

The Financial Measurement Project, a NACUBO/ACE research program to accelerate the development and application of financial indicators, defines its goals as assistance in three distinct domains: (1) the internal management of institutions, (2) the state level, and (3) the development of national policy. (MLW)

Examines the challenges that changing student characteristics and attendance patterns pose for policymakers. Describes how federal and state policies can influence attendance patterns (through funding programs, contracting with private entities to provide services, creating incentives for private action, and mandating action through law or…

In a rapidly expanding service environment, governmental entities are looking to campus-based applied research as they seek to modernize and improve public services. Institutions providing this assistance should consider such issues as organizational development, technical competence, econometrics, litigation support, new research opportunities,…

When a state seeks to improve the quality of higher education through mandatory assessment of student learning, it is necessary to examine existing quality-assurance mechanisms and to consider the utility of models providing more comprehensive data. (MLW)

Describes the Institute of Government, a hybrid unit that successfully straddles the academic fault line between public service and traditional scholarship. Discusses its mission, major areas of work and successful programs, organization and funding, and future directions in funding, faculty fields of expertise, civic education, and local…

Describes the Los Angeles Project of the School of Politics and Economics at Claremont Graduate University. This project seeks to understand the conditions that have enabled a blossoming of public-private collaboration and development projects to take place in Los Angeles despite institutional, financial, and community obstacles. (EV)

Established in 1994 at the University of Florida, the Reubin O'Donovan Askew Institute on Politics and Society has focused its energies on reinvigorating civic culture and revitalizing community building in Florida. This article discusses civic culture in Florida, Florida's evolution in the twentieth century, development of the institute, and its…

Although much federal support for higher education exists, its relationship to developing innovative programs is different among various fields and disciplines. The role and influence of the federal government on innovation in graduate programs is discussed. (Author/MLW)

Financial aid is seen as a crucial source of revenue to institutions. Some ways of integrating financial aid into campus planning, budgeting, and marketing are proposed. A simple table is included that can give most chief executives the information that they need to analyze their own aid program. (Author/MLW)