The authors analyse the reasons for Croatian higher education reform since 2003, as well as its consequences. The main proposition of the paper is that the implementation of the Bologna Process in Croatia has failed due to a fundamental misunderstanding of the goals of the process, a lack of correspondence between the cycles of higher education…

Critical infrastructure and key resources (CIKR) provide the essential services that support basic elements of American society. Compromise of these CIKR could disrupt key government and industry activities, facilities, and systems, producing cascading effects throughout the Nation's economy and society and profoundly affecting the national…

The paper discusses the major issues connected with the accreditation procedures in higher education system in the U.S. The questions raised are as follows: what are the reliable and credible indicators of quality instruction that could be measured in the process of accreditation of higher education institutions? How does greater transparency in…

In response to real and perceived problems in higher education, the federal government has increased regulation on campus. Even greater changes, some that will affect the teaching function of colleges and universities, notably the state review and accreditation provisions of the Higher Education Amendments of 1992, are already in the works. (MSE)

Seven weaknesses of accreditation are described: long intervals between site visits, automatic accreditation of branches, weak penalties, inadequate public disclosure, inadequate enforcement, leadership shortcomings, and problems with program evaluation. (Author/MLW)

Difficulties experienced by colleges with the regulations and policies of the Veterans Administration regarding the eligibility of veterans for educational benefits are discussed. Especially problematic are the "standards of progress" and "seat time" regulations. A study undertaken to examine the problem has not produced any…

Institutional self-study is an appropriate method for determining quality and demonstrating accountability which can lead to academic and administrative excellence. With a trend toward state and federal government involvement in higher education, colleges will do well to conduct internal program assessments in order to maintain control. A…

Amounts billed for teaching physician services and paid by Medicare carriers were reviewed by the General Accounting Office (GAO) to determine whether such payments had been made only where the physicians had satisfied the requirements of the Social Security Act. Attention was focused on the requirement that teaching physicians must provide a…

The strengths and weaknesses of the traditional external quality controls exerted by government and accrediting bodies to monitor colleges and universities are examined, along with the importance of institutional self-regulation. Government involvement in American higher education is traced historically, showing that until recently the oversight…

Intercollegiate athletics is receiving more attention from the federal government because an institution's academic information is seen as consumer information for prospective student-athletes. The Student Athlete Right-to-Know Act, enacted as part of the Campus Security Act of 1990, requires federally funded institutions to report detailed…

During calendar year 1994, the U.S. Department of Education published significant revisions to the Education Department General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR). These regulatory changes addressed the noncompeting continuation (NCC) application process for discretionary grants and cooperative agreements, the Department's implementation of the…

Implications for colleges and universities of a proposed new audit guide for Office of Management and the Budget (OMB) Circular A-110 are considered. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is considering issuance of an audit guide that will outline procedures to be followed to comply with the audit requirement in Circular A-110. With…

The various and developing forms of governmental intervention and control affecting universities are discussed. State intervention and control, program audits and evaluations, and federal intervention are described. The cost of interventions into institutional autonomy and the negative effect on quality are seen as increasing. (MLW)

This semiannual report to Congress summarizes the activities of the Department of Education's Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the 6-month period ending September 30, 1997. The OIG gave Congressional testimony regarding the modernization of student-financial-assistance-information programs, the Loan Consolidation process, the Federal Direct…

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) has initiated a program in which practicing student aid professionals, on request, conduct a thorough review of a college or university's student aid operation, using comprehensive assessment materials and tools developed by NASFAA. The review examines program compliance,…