State appropriations for higher education are highly cyclical, with downturns in funding during difficult financial times followed by increases in funding when state finances improve. This policy brief shares recent research about whether the duration of recoveries from cuts in appropriations for higher education has changed over time and which…

Student retention has become a difficult issue within higher education. As such, it is imperative to examine the causes, as well as provide educators with strategies to implement to improve retention rates. "Critical Assessment and Strategies for Increased Student Retention" is a pivotal reference source for the latest progressive…

The impact on nine British universities' of substantial financial reductions in 1980-81 and the policy implications for national funding agencies are examined. Implementation of institutional retrenchment plans and the role of high-level administrators are discussed. (MSE)

Offers 12 ideas for making quick, short-term cuts in expenditures when a budget crisis occurs. (JM)

Reviews institutional responses to and budgeting requirements of retrenchment. Presents and discusses nine guidelines for community colleges dealing with retrenchment, related to action rather than reaction, participatory budgeting, reexamination of priorities, consistently derived comparisons, financial projections, outcome measures, planning…

Based on the view that athletics are a valuable part of the school program, this article suggests where budget cuts in the athletic program might be made. (Author/JM)

Offers colleges and universities some strategies when reallocation of funds is necessary. Discussion focuses on the use of facilitating teams to help department chairpersons, active promotion of reallocation in funding proposals, use of analytical databases in decision making, use of program audits, taxation policies, decentralization of decision…

Intended for two-year college presidents, deans, or other administrators, faculty, and board members, this publication provides an outline for guidelines for program phase-out. The decision to phase out a program is first considered, as are ways to analyze the reasons for three typical situations that form the basis for phasing out a…

This article notes that art education is suffering in the current financial crisis because it is erroneously viewed as (1) fun and, therefore, not educational and (2) geared toward only the artistically talented. Listed are 12 components identified by a state supervisor as common to successful school art programs. (SJL)

Presents a set of model regulations on the issue of reduction in force applicable to certified personnel. (Author/WD)

Outlines a three-step process to justify the existence of the guidance program, including writing a job description, logging daily duties, and evaluating the program. (Author/WD)

It is proposed that the primary method for college budget reduction should be horizontal, across-the-board cuts by percentage applied to all programs and departments. It is argued further that vertical budget cuts embody imperfect procedural justice and should be considered only in extreme situations. (MSE)

Demonstrates local government's use of alternative forecasting techniques in school planning and retrenchment. Argues that forecasting is an art blending academic and political concerns. While statistical techniques and historical data are useful forecasting tools, the most significant influence should be school officials' plans and preferences.…

Service contracts with the private sector can help school districts remain flexible in responding to change. However, a comprehensive analysis is required for each particular situation. (MLF)

A method for analyzing expenditures and revenue, and a matrix for use in decision making about program choice and more productive use of resources, is outlined. Institutional integrity (internal and external cohesion) is preferred to emphasis on competition. (MSE)