The federal government's student loan programs for higher education convey substantial financial benefits to borrowers because of their broad availability and favorable terms. Of the various provisions included in a federal student loan contract, the option to consolidate individual loans contributes greatly to a borrower's benefits and the cost…

Reviews the Reagan administration's proposed budget cuts for education, educational research, and social science research. Holds that examples used to bolster the administration's criticisms of social and behavioral research come from the late 1960s/early 1970s, and ignore federally funded work currently focusing on educational practice, policy,…

The provisions in Australia's 1993 Higher Education Budget Statement regarding equity, diversity, and educational quality are examined. The discussion draws on current models of governance of public and private systems to examine ways in which the federal government has imposed accountability mechanisms on institutions. (Author/MSE)