This paper investigates the role of data collection and analysis in the process of legislative evaluation of academic programs, a process which is influenced not only by the expectations and perceptions of both legislators and educators, but, most recently, by consumerism. Before educators can grapple effectively with their concerns over legislative misuse of data in academic evaluation, they must resolve two questions: What is education? and Is education a business? It is recommended that education develop evaluative criteria at the local level and have student-consumers. Legislators must be educated in the proper use of data so that researchers' collection and analysis of data will be an influence on, and not a reaction to, legislation. (Author/JAB)