With the 2006 mid-term elections over, higher education will be an important topic in public policy discussions at the federal and state levels. State colleges and universities will need to stay informed and be prepared to take action as discussions about access, affordability, and accountability play out in the coming year. This issue of…

Using multivariate statistical techniques and selected interviews, a study explored relationships between tuition levels at public institutions, state subsidies for public institutions, and state financial aid programs. Results indicate few states are systematically addressing issues of affordability. There were no statistically significant…

Drawing data from both governmental and nongovernmental sources, this pamphlet makes the case that many people are now excluded from postsecondary education because of increasing tuition and other student charges at state and community colleges. Eight facts concerning tuition and college-going rates are documented: (1) the percentage of high…

The plight of private colleges that cannot pass inflation on to the taxpayer as the public institutions can is discussed. A proposal is presented that the four-year public sector be redefined as one that receives not more than a 50-percent tax subsidy. (MLW)

Recent trends in college costs and reasons why college costs have been increasing are considered. Comparative data are presented on recent rates of growth among average college charges, faculty salaries, the Higher Education Price Index (HEPI), and the Consumer Price Index (CPI). It is shown that from 1977 through 1982, average total tuition,…

In response to legislative mandate, this report assesses the impact of student charges on access to public postsecondary education and provides policy recommendations. Part I of the report summarizes the state's goals for postsecondary education, reviews past policies for achieving these goals, and outlines future options in a time of financial…

In recent years, Trenton State College (New Jersey) has focused its efforts on providing quality undergraduate programs to reverse an outmigration of college students from the state. When it faced severe financial difficulties, the students actively supported a fee increase designed to help the institution maintain quality education. (Author/MSE)

Difficulties facing private colleges and universities in the future are considered, with attention to the situation in North Carolina. An important determinant of the future of independent higher education will be public policy. Three major considerations include: private colleges and universities are public resources and serve a predominantly…

Information about higher education in California is presented with suggestions for Florida. Cooperation between the public and private sectors in California exists in many forms, including the support or opposition of legislation. For instance, private university presidents have publicly criticized as inadequate budget recommendations for state…

This paper contains three articles which present the opinions of the authors on public college tuition and state finance. The problem addressed is the large increase in tuition charged by public sector, four-year colleges coupled with the effects of fiscal constraints facing the states. After an introduction by Richard J. Novak, the papers are:…

The authors argue that a recently proposed Minnesota policy for implementing full-cost tuition in selected practitioner master's degree programs in state institutions is counterproductive. The proposed policy is examined as a case study of probable supply and demand effects on student enrollments and institutional vitality. (Author/MSE)

California state legislators are showing a lack of long-term leadership and vision in their planning for the state's higher education needs as indicated in their recent decisions regarding increased tuition and fees. California's public higher education system stands at the nexus of two powerful trends: the long-term social, demographic,…

This paper analyzes the negative effects on private colleges of state subsidies provided to state-run colleges, noting the increasing proportion of students attending public colleges and the closing of more than 300 private colleges between 1969-70 and 1992-93. It urges legislators to eliminate direct subsidies to universities, to require…

The practice of providing financial incentives in higher education to reduce costs through improved managerial practices is discussed. It is suggested that for a state to adopt incentives in its budgetary practices affecting public higher education, several factors are required: the institutions, the legislature, gubernatorial staff, and the state…

Three main aspects of the college cost debate are summarized: (1) the incomes of students and families as they relate to tuition increases (the ability to pay); (2) the cost to higher education institutions of providing an education; and (3) the implications of the increasing reliance on loans in student financial aid, particularly the…