The Massachusetts college tuition prepayment program has been praised by many as helping families pay for college, but a few elite institutions have not joined, saying the program does not fit their financial aid policies and philosophies. Supporters feel the program could be even stronger if they joined. The plan differs from most state plans by…

Virginia will pilot a program to send some community college graduates to several rural private colleges in an effort to improve educational access and help meet the anticipated growth in enrollments in the next decade. Some feel the state should expand existing public institutions instead. (MSE)

Massachusetts' Board of Higher Education is moving to develop one state higher education institution as an elite campus to draw the state's best students, as Commonwealth College of Massachusetts. Ten institutions are competing for approval of their institutions and models, which include elements such as enhanced curricula and honors programs,…

Half the endowment of Macalester College (Minnesota) is controlled by the Readers Digest Association, not the college. Macalester can not sell the poorly-performing stocks. Income from the stocks supports a need-blind admissions policy. Some faculty feel the endowment should be used to further enhance the college's distinctiveness. (MSE)