Discusses the actions of state legislatures nationwide that have implications for community colleges. Points up and analyzes three major legislative themes: increased state control, reduced appropriations, and the uncertain identity of community colleges within the law. Looks at minor legislative changes and three areas of concern for the coming…

The growth of the Council for National Academic Awards' validating process as a means of monitoring and approving standards of courses in British polytechnics and colleges has been a significant educational development in recent decades. The nature of the agency-institution relationship, and its changes over time, are examined. (MSE)

The regulatory process of the federal government may be its own worst enemy by threatening the substance and character of private higher education. In addition, it is the responsibility of the corporate sector in the United States to support the nonprofit sector if it is to live up to its spoken convictions. (MSE)

A primary challenge for academic administrators is to survive the 1980s with a strong, diverse system of higher education that has a healthy and mutually rewarding partnership with the federal government. Institutions must have the courage and integrity to decide when to accept and when to refuse federal aid and regulation. (MSE)

Too much legislation and government regulation, combined with the tendency of some trustees to put other goals ahead of their institution's best interests, threaten to significantly erode the power of governing boards of institutions of higher education. (Author/JMD)

The president of the University of Georgia, Athens, discusses the legislative history of Title IX and HEW's investigation of his school's athletic programs. He considers this as part of the trend toward increasing federal control of higher education. (SJL)

Case studies of the influence of three teacher education centers on teacher education within the context of party politics in Spain. (Contains 27 references.) (PKP)

Examines the pros and cons of variety in Dutch schools, noting possible consequences for educational quality and accessibility and the impact on social cohesion. The paper asserts that variety is extremely desirably in general and should be encouraged to promote innovation, cautioning that differences between schools should be tolerated as long as…

Pressure for innovation has brought universities and industry closer together. The nature of the relationship depends on the industry's ability to conduct its own research. In many countries, concern exists about the way in which research involvement may preempt universities' academic time and resources at the expense of basic research. (MSE)

The European strategy of institutional self-regulation is a step back from the centralized control accompanying higher education's recent growth, requiring a new management approach, perhaps in strategic planning. Viewed through organizational theory, self-regulation combines two fundamentally different concepts, and a "new autonomy"…

Using data from a 1991 survey of social work program deans and directors, the experiences of recently merged, long-term merged, and independent social work programs with salaries, financial resources, promotion and tenure, staff morale, enrollment, curriculum, class size, and access to central administration are compared. Respondents' views are…

Declining federal support for scientific research has led colleges and universities to turn increasingly to business for help. Ralph Nader recently complained that business threatens to take over the university. Closer examination suggests there is a problem but somewhat different and harder to resolve than that suggested by Nader. (Author/MSE)

Accredited undergraduate social work programs are identifying themselves more commonly as freestanding units within an institution, rather than as subunits within a department. A survey of 232 programs found most respondents perceived governance and administrative structure as adequate, but 25 percent perceived staffing as unsatisfactory.…

A study investigated the perceptions of 136 Australian college and university administrators' and public education officials concerning recent reform in Australian higher education, and whether or not perceptions corresponded to the changes that were intended, particularly in the areas of teaching and research quality, funding, management…

In some states, the higher education coordinating board is threatened with reduced autonomy or even dissolution. Boards must carefully execute their leadership role, protect their nonpartisan character, create a vision for higher education in the state, become its chief proponent, and plan strategically by differentiating college missions and…