"Fiscal" and other so-called "crises" in Australian universities are more fundamentally, it is argued in this article, crises of government decision and "governmentality". Using an illustrative "morality tale" drawn from their working knowledge of the Australian university sector, the authors take a…

Every college and university experiences some form of financial hardship at one time or another. The financial problems plaguing local and state governments in recent years have been sufficient by themselves to create serious problems for institutions across the country. At the very least, an institution's financial difficulties can lead to the…

The intended audience for this primer includes new academic administrators and faculty members who seek involvement in campus governance and need a greater understanding of administrative processes, particularly those related to budgets and budgeting. After reading this publication, readers will have a better understanding of the budget process at…

Discusses the plight of Central State University in Wilberforce, Ohio, and the University of the District of Columbia, both historically Black universities that are fighting for their existence due to declines in enrollment and funding and administrative problems. Individuals at each institution discuss the current crises and outlook for…

Discusses the educational finance problems facing West Virginia since Judge Arthur Recht ruled the state's school funding system unconstitutional because it created disparities and inequities. Unfortunately, Judge Jerry Cook's 1987 funding plan was overturned in November 1988, and the state legislature has failed to address property reappraisal…

Describes the quality of educational research, indicating that it is in a state of crisis because of a lack of both funding and professional consensus on fund allocation. Suggests that educational researchers reach a consensus regarding their minimum information requirements and seek to maximize the limited resources available. (MAB)

Tighter budgets faced by many higher education institutions have a variety of results, including larger classes, loss of faculty expertise through early retirement and nonreplacement, severely limited supplies and services, reduced faculty professional travel and memberships, and unrepaired equipment. Some faculty have begun fund-raising efforts.…

Although estimating how many school districts offered early retirement plans during 1990-91 is difficult, the practice is fairly widespread and is generally initiated by states, not local school districts. Early retirement options (an alternative to massive layoffs) were offered teachers and administrators in New York City, Washington, D.C.,…

Of 368 British undergraduates surveyed, 59% worked part time, 95% of them for financial reasons. Although many found working beneficial, most would quit if they could and believed working was detrimental to their studies. Nearly one-quarter could not stay in school without a job. (Contains 41 references.) (SK)

This article presents the address delivered by Roger Bowen, American Association of University Professors' (AAUP) general secretary, last fall to the Coalition of Faculty Associations of Western New York. The AAUP's history could be rendered in a series of biographies about academic dissenters who dared to speak truth to power. His address centers…

This article discusses Antioch College, a once-prominent countercultural institution that will be closed in 2008 due to serious financial problems. Antioch has been hemorrhaging money for years. Its Board of Trustees has decided to shutter the college by July 2008 and lay off most of its 160 staff and faculty members. Although the administration…

This paper examines the role of formal and informal sources of information in a higher education governing board's decision to close its doors, merge with another institution, or continue to struggle for independent survival. Answers to the deciding questions were found in the shared experiences of governing board members as they confronted…

This handbook, written primarily to help faculty members with little prior experience in college or university budgeting, provides a self-help approach to basic budgetary matters. It describes the kinds of funds and other accounting terms found in college and university budgets as well as the accounting principles governing colleges and…

This report attempted to measure the impact of 2 years of budget cuts on the University of California and the California State University systems. The research involved review of a variety of budget documents, analysis of planning done to cope with budget cuts, and interviews with local campus and systemwide officials and knowledgeable sources in…

An analysis of fiscal-year 1994 appropriations levels show that nonentitlement programs for the poor received modest increases compared with fiscal year 1993, but that the overall funding level for these programs remains well below what it was when Ronald Reagan took office in 1981. This paper examines funding for federal programs that are either…