In 1978, the University of Phoenix was among the first for-profit universities to receive accreditation from a prestigious regional agency: the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Its accreditation marked a turning point in broader acceptance for the for-profit model in higher education and gave the…

This report presents detailed tabulations for the 1998-1999 academic year that describe characteristics of the 9,653 postsecondary education institutions in the United States and outlying areas. These characteristics include tuition and required fees for undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional programs and room and board charges at…

This report uses data from the Institutional Characteristics survey, a component of the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System, to describe postsecondary education institutions in the United States as of the 1997-98 academic year. The over 9,600 institutions included are grouped into the following classes: (1) whether or not the…

As public funds decline and the political climate changes, accountability and quality assurance are important issues for U.S. colleges and universities, and institutional leaders are concerned about a shift away from the established institution-centered structures, toward government-mandated, standards-driven systems. This paper explores the…