This theme issue of "Policy Perspectives" examines the role and survivability of liberal arts colleges in an age of universities. The lead essay, "Cross Currents," emphasizes that the liberal arts college embodies the ideal form of scholarly purpose and endeavor in undergraduate institutions, that the gap between the values inherent in a liberal…

On May 29, 1991, Governor Pete Wilson signed legislation allowing an $835 million cut in support for education as a step in reducing the California state budget deficit. For the state's 107 community colleges, the loss of an estimated $225 million to $270 million in 1991-92 is particularly problematic in light of anticipated enrollment increases.…

This series of reports reviews how California colleges are coping with a difficult economy. The reports, produced in February, March, June, August, and October of 1992, review the impact of budgetary shortfalls on the 107 California Community Colleges (CCC), 20 California State Universities (CSU), 8 University of California (UC) campuses, and 63…

This series of reports reviews how California colleges are coping with a difficult economy. The reports, produced in January, March, April, May, June, September, and November of 1993, review the impact of budgetary shortfalls on 107 California Community Colleges (CCC), 20 California State Universities (CSU), 8 University of California (UC)…

This series of reports provides regular updates on the actions taken by California colleges in coping with a difficult economy. The reports, produced in March, June, August, and October of 1994, review the impact of budgetary shortfall on 107 California Community Colleges (CCC), 20 California State Universities (CSU), 8 Universities of California,…

This booklet for trustees of institutions of higher education offers guidelines for strategic financial decisions required in light of the financial challenges higher education faces in the 1990s and beyond. "Strategic response" is defined as a decision that requires changing a major policy, program, or practice and involves some risk. Five…

During the past 20 years, public expenditures on criminal justice have risen astronomically and disproportionately to expenditures for other services. For the first time in American history, cities are spending more on law enforcement than on education. Although the federal government has cut its education contribution by 25 percent (in real…

Drawing from journal, report, and monographic literature, this paper offers an analysis of community college funding in the 1990's. In the first section, various stories appearing in the "Chronicle of Higher Education" are highlighted, pointing to such financial problems as state deficits and shrinking educational budgets, no federal increases in…

In October 1988, 48 suburban and greater Minnesota school districts, representing approximately 20 percent of the state's public elementary and secondary school students, filed a lawsuit claiming that Minnesota's school financing system violates the state's constitutional mandate for equality of educational opportunity. (A ruling in the case is…

Over the last 10 years there has been a striking development in the system of community-based programs to replace or supplement institutional care for juvenile offenders. However, the analysis of 30 community-based residential programs in six metropolitan areas found that the community-based model of services is still a relatively untried…

Widely held misconceptions about the dependability, availability, and ability of part-time manpower have prevented this reservoir of potential employees from realizing its full capabilities. These misconceptions are explored, the advantages to using part-time personnel are discussed, and a variety of possible schedule variations are described.…

Reviews the literature on black colleges in the light of functional analysis, focusing on their latent functions and proposing that black colleges and universities are step-children, both second class to those of the majority and performing several functions not performed by the latter. Discusses several alternatives. (Author/JM)

Observing that conventional approaches to institutional solvency through staff reductions or alterations have not been very effective, the author advocates an organizational development approach to the student-faculty ratio dilemma. A systematic staff analysis plan is outlined and its advantages and disadvantages compared to the conventional…

Reviews highlights of discussion that followed presentation of papers at the Institute on Primary Care sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) in Chicago, Oct. 6-8, 1974. Major topics are protection of traditional and emerging academic, legal and financial constraints, and administrative and educational considerations. (JT)

Research on legislative and electoral consideration of school finance reforms identifies three important elements; the art of compromise, the fiscal context, and political leadership. Adoption of new school finance formulas is far more likely through the legislative process than through a referendum. (Author/AM)