This report of congressional hearings on population movement and its implications for future planning focuses on the relative growth and decline in population within different geographic areas (both urban and rural) of the United States. Specific issues addressed include the effects these trends will have on school enrollments, family life,…

This report compiles 1976-77 enrollment information for 1,023 two-year postsecondary institutions, including accredited or approved degree-granting junior and community colleges, multipurpose, technical and/or vocational schools and institutes, and university branch campuses. Following the dramatic 16.1% enrollment increase of 1975-76, total…

Population growth in the United States has declined since the early 1970s. As a result of the lower birth rate and changing migration patterns, approximately one-third of the school districts in the country have experienced some drop in enrollment. Smaller districts are the hardest hit by enrollment decline, since they are less able to absorb the…

This study compares patterns of resource allocation in school districts with different enrollment experiences ranging from substantial growth to substantial decline. In general, the study focuses on examination of the "parameters of adjustment" of public school systems with varying growth histories. Colorado was selected because some of…

The rural school district examined in this case study is the smallest of the five covered in this series, which is published in conjuction with a planning manual on declining enrollment. The principal issue in this Minnesota district is simply survival. Its initially small enrollment has shrunk even further, and enrollment projections indicate…

The conflict between institutional mission and finance is stressed in this article based on a Brookings Institution study. This tension promises to grow as academe adjusts to a drop in the traditional college-age population, and as the promise of expanding adult markets is either realized or falls short of expectations. (MLW)

Analysis of problems faced by school systems with surplus schools due to declining enrollment has led to this list of suggestions on achieving flexibility in new building construction. (WD)

Reports preliminary findings of a new project aimed at understanding the nature of time-series fluctuations in degrees awarded in various disciplines, including economics. Examines the consequences of such fluctuations for resource allocation within universities. Compares statistics among economics, history, and political science degrees. Includes…

Notes that economics is often the second choice of students screened out of an undergraduate business program. Argues that the increased enrollment in business programs during the 1980s led to a transient rise in economics enrollment. Current declining enrollment in economics corresponds to a decline in business. (MJP)

Compares characteristics of those schools that have experienced an increase in awarding undergraduate economics degrees with those suffering a decrease. Findings suggest that business/management degrees offer competition against economics degrees. Schools not offering business/management are less at risk. (MJP)

A senior foundation executive addresses a number of concerns about higher education's performance, including the low national college completion rate, decreasing minority enrollment, programs poorly designed for nontraditional students, cooperation with two-year and technical institutions, lagging minority faculty recruitment, and contributions to…

To alleviate poor subject-matter preparation of science teachers and stem declining enrollment in both secondary and postsecondary science programs, the University of Western Ontario faculties of science and education are collaborating in a new honors undergraduate program in science. The interdisciplinary program offers a broader selection of…

Both declining second-language enrollments in colleges and universities and the rapid metamorphosis of higher education are linked to the end of the Cold War. The strong state as the protector of the university's relative independence has ended, and the business sector is the new standard for measuring performance. In this context, German…

Describes and reflects on the experience of the University of Washington's Slavic languages program when faced with termination in 1995, including the initial response of faculty, staff, and students; the successful effort made to garner support from other institutions, alumni, business, and organizations; relations with the legislature;…

The highlights of this summary of enrollment projections for Maryland public colleges and universities for the years 1997-2006 note that: (1) total enrollment is projected to increase by 12 percent by the year 2006, considerably below earlier projections; (2) growth rates of full- and part-time students will vary considerably, with full-time…