Debates the notion that a nation's system of higher education should be managed according to manpower needs in the economy. Suggests that the traditional free-choice principle in which education responds to student choice should be retained. Also touches on who should bear the financial burden of higher education. (Author/DN)

The growth of higher educational expenditures attributable to new social demands is considered. The main objective is to identify the sources of these costs, to estimate their amount, and to judge their impact on higher education. Colleges and universities, like many other types of organizations, are subject to social pressures and governmental…

The recent shift away from traditional liberal education to vocational training is examined, along with the effects this trend may have on the United States. After a preliminary review in Chapter 1, "American Higher Education: Recent History and Present Condition," Chapter 2, "How Well-Educated Are the American People?" examines past trends in…