This article considers the role of higher education in state budgets. It empirically models and tests the balance wheel hypothesis in a robust framework. The balance wheel model posits that in good economic times, higher education is an attractive area for states to fund and tends to be funded at a higher rate than other state budget categories.…

Based on a review of the literature and ongoing research, this four-part monograph provides a composite profile of the enrollment and financial status of the nation's community colleges. After introductory material describing research methodology, Part I analyzes community college enrollment by sex, examines the increase in the number of adult…