In the 1960s and early 1970s, statewide planning efforts usually resulted in plans for centralized hardware networks. The focus of statewide planning has shifted to the issue of improved computer financing, information sharing, and enhanced utilization in instruction, administration. A "facilitating network" concept and Missouri efforts…

The state of development of a nation and of the higher education system within the nation are important factors to consider when making decisions about the applicability of policy and planning methodologies. Strategic methodologies, policy domain, and planning domain are discussed. (MLW)

As policymakers focus their inquiries into professional education and the training of teachers, a preliminary framework, based on five questions, can guide them. These are: (1) Do state policies on professional development recognize the complexity of improving student outcomes? (2) Are state professional development programs linked to student…

An analysis used 1987 national student aid data to examine the influence of prices on within-year persistence by graduate students. Results indicated that graduate students, especially in public institutions, are responsive to tuition charges in their persistence decisions. It is suggested that institutions carefully examine the potential impact…

Possible further changes in federal funding and aid delivery systems could have highly divergent consequences for college enrollment patterns and management practices. Department of Education objectives and programs (SEOG, Pell grants, GSL programs, etc.) and change implications are discussed. (Author/MSE)

It is suggested that well-designed and executed institutional research on the effects of student financial aid can help resolve ambiguities about policy and provide useful information for institutional financial planning. Models and methodologies for conducting such research using existing data sources are outlined. (Author/MSE)

A study tested a model for assessing the impact of financial aid offers on 2,558 accepted students' college enrollment decisions. The analysis demonstrates that financial aid strategies have a substantial influence on enrollment and the systematic analysis of student enrollment decisions can help institutional administrators refine their financing…

A study analyzed the impact of college tuition and student aid changes in the 1980s on enrollment, using price-response measures to examine why total enrollment remained stable while low-income enrollment declined. The technique is found useful for explaining the consequences of price policy choices. (MSE)

Analyzes the influence of student aid on enrollment decisions of all accepted applicants at four institutions. Student aid was negatively associated with first-time enrollment, indicating that, in most cases, the amount of aid available was insufficient relative to the cost of college attendance. This suggests that institutions need to study their…

A study used price-response measures from recent national studies to assess college and university pricing (tuition and student aid) alternatives in diverse institutional settings. It is concluded that such analyses are feasible. Analysis indicated limits to "Robin Hood" pricing patterns are predominant in private colleges. Consideration…

A study investigated the effects of changes in institutional aid strategies on student persistence, exploring the implications of increased reliance on loans at a private university. Increases in grants and loans appeared to improve student persistence. However, students' increased loan burden should be considered. The study also suggests that new…

This literature review suggests that student aid is an effective mechanism for promoting equal educational opportunity and that the erosion in federal grant dollars has influenced an erosion in minority group access to higher education. Research findings on equal opportunity components including access, choice of school, persistence, choice of…

During the past decade, public and private funding agencies have invested large sums in programs designed to strengthen struggling colleges and universities. However, there is an absence of a conceptual framework for assessing the impact of these programs on funded institutions. Such a framework is described in this paper. To illustrate the need…

This analysis critically examines the cost controversy in higher education with an eye to resolving the crisis which is currently serving to exacerbate public willingness to fund higher education. An introduction touches on the role and influence of political ideologies and offers a framework to be used throughout the analysis for critically…