Some of the bureaucratic forces that affect the University of Alabama are discussed. External forces include the federal and state governments, the statewide coordinating body for higher education, accrediting agencies, and the university system under which the institution operates. Other forces are at work internally that compound the bureaucratic process, usually in the name of planning or efficiency or accountability. One way in which the Legislature of Alabama responded to its growing interest in education was the creation of the Alabama Commission on Higher Education (ACHE). Three different budget requests are compiled by the university: one for the university system, one for ACHE, and a third for the state budget office. While each contains essentially the same dollar figures as the others, it is prepared in different forms, based on the requirements of each agency. Passage of a budget by the state legislature is not the end of the process, because the next budgeting cycle begins and the institutions must file followup reports. Both the university system and ACHE are involved in the program development and review process, and the legislature is involved in a limited degree. At the heart of the controversy over federal regulations in higher education are affirmative action plan requirements, Title IX, and the Buckley Amendment. The largest amount of governmental reporting is required by routine paperwork in the areas of contracts and grants and financial aid. The effects of bureaucracy on faculty members and university administrators are considered. (SW)