Responding to the cost debate, higher education must look carefully at all the ways its institutions serve the public, then work together to convey that message to labor, business and industry, public officials, school teachers, parents, and others, building constituencies among those with a stake in higher education's success. (Author/MSE)

Increasingly, colleges are debating whether or not to require students to own computers. Issues include whether computers are the best use of student resources, how to pay for the cost of both computers and campus networks, faculty perceptions of the need for computers, and computer access versus computer ownership. (MSE)

Methods of evaluating college and university student financial aid policies are examined in two case studies of institutions using different aid strategies: one that rewarded a few high-achieving students and one that emphasized student self-help. It is concluded that such research can be helpful to institutions in determining appropriate…

A study estimated effects of a $150 fee increase per semester, without aid package adjustments, on within-year persistence at a large urban university. Institutional enrollment projections were accomplished using price-response measures derived from earlier research. It was found that both undergraduate and graduate student enrollment were…

This article proposes that governing boards must carefully consider the implications of the admission and financial aid policy of awarding merit scholarships, without regard for student financial need. Such tuition discounting is seen as particularly problematic for private colleges, misleading to students, and potentially disastrous for…

The tuition and required fees charged to undergraduate students at over 2,900 public and private 2- and 4-year institutions are presented for the 1990-91 and 1991-92 academic years, including, for 1991-92, the additional tuition for out-of-state students. Institutions are listed alphabetically by state. (MSE)

It is noted that "undervalued metropolitan universities," which generally have open enrollment, low tuition, and a large proportion of nontraditional students, often also have a diffuse and unclear public image. A model positioning concept for these institutions, used by Wright State University (Ohio) is proposed and described. (MSE)

This special edition presents current statistics and other data on higher education in the United States including demographics, political leadership, colleges and universities, faculty and staff, students, and financial resources. Tables, maps, and narratives are used to present information on the nation and each state. (MLW)

Factors contributing to the current student financial aid crisis in higher education are outlined, including rising tuition costs, federal tax law changes, and a policy shift from grants to loans. Federal and state responses to the crisis are examined, and their relative merits are discussed. (MSE)

Builds a model explaining the behavior of the supply and demand for education at U.S. liberal arts colleges. A statistical analysis of 1990-91 data for 338 private liberal arts institutions suggests a perfectly competitive market. Student quantity, costs, test scores, class size, and college rankings help explain tuition variations. Contains 27…

A study investigated the variables associated with high school students' sensitivity to tuition in the college-choice process, interaction of tuition and student aid, relationship of family and student characteristics to this sensitivity, and the roles of student perceptions and student institutional connections in price sensitivity. Subjects were…

Discusses economic rationales for governmental intervention in the education market. Evaluates different proposals for financing higher education centered on three themes: more reliance on tuition fees, a shift from grants to student loan systems, and different types of voucher models. Discusses various countries' experience with such models. (56…

Uses regression analysis to examine the variation in instructional costs per full-time equivalent (FTE) student at 592 public community colleges during the 1991-92 academic year. Results suggest that instructional cost per FTE student tends to increase with the full-time faculty-to-FTE ratio. (AS)

Explains and advocates a reform package (SuperHECS) for financing Australian undergraduate education, designed to give institutions more autonomy and more incentives for efficiency, generate more student choice, enhance teaching quality, and be fair to all eligible Australians. The program should cost the government no more than current…

In contrast to business, higher education tuition doesn't come close to covering costs. Taking a business approach leads educators to focus on rising costs, obscuring the larger issue of falling subsidies. As economic data clarify the relationship of prices, costs, and subsidies, politicians may see that unless increased enrollments are…