This article is an exchange of ideas between Peter Wood, President of the National Association of Scholars (NAS), and Tom Klingerstein, Chairman of the Claremont Institute and NAS Board Director, on the study "What Does Bowdoin Teach? How a Contemporary Liberal Arts College Shapes Students" (by Peter Wood and Michael Toscano). This…

After receiving his PhD in 1970, the author has spent almost 30 years conducting research on the economics of higher education, chairing faculty budget committees at Cornell, serving as a Cornell vice president and then as a trustee of both Cornell and SUNY, and being associated with innumerable national commissions and higher education…

Expectations of trustees have undergone a dramatic change in the wake of the Enron debacle, the new strictures of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and several new state policies, laws, and executive actions. Additionally, well-publicized examples of inadequate trustee oversight have affected the public's and policymakers' perceptions of higher education.…

The case of a fictitious small, private college illustrates how such colleges may require planning strategies differing from those used by other institutions. Such "enlightened brinkmanship" requires exceptional intuitive and market-oriented skills among campus leaders and faculty and a well-run organization. (MSE)

At least one private college, Bennington College (Vermont), has cut tuition, as part of a larger restructuring project. More may follow suit, in hopes of attracting more students. Guidelines to help institutions determine whether such a strategy could be cost effective for them are offered. (MSE)

Although private colleges, like others, must respond to current fiscal constraints, there is strength in the variety that private institutions offer. These special combinations are market responsive, offering a desired variety in price, student body, quality, and many other, often intangible dimensions that people want and are willing to pay for.…

To avoid antitrust liability, private university administrators and counsel must limit the exchange of financial-aid and tuition information among their institutions and competitors. On a much broader scale, colleges and universities must strive to improve their images and regain public confidence and support. (Author/MSE)

A group of 17 independent colleges and universities in Virginia combine their long distance telephone traffic and network services for an expected savings of $4.65 million over 3 years. The 12-institution consortium that negotiated the plan prioritized service and system criteria and solicited bids from long distance carriers. (MSE)

Need-blind admissions and need-based financial aid policies at selective private colleges are too expensive for most institutions to maintain. Private colleges that value diversity must aggressively pursue additional resources to support it, not relying on federal aid to pay the difference between their tuition and the selective public…

The origins and development of the free market theory of education are examined, and the problems in the trend toward increased privatization and reduced public funding of higher education are discussed, especially for the Australian system. (MSE)

No matter what the rationale for high tuition, unless it is controlled, the average American family will not be able to afford a private college or university education. What is needed is a flexible tuition prepayment plan built on cooperation between private institutions, the federal government, and investment firms. Requirements of a successful…

The key variable in attracting private financial support is no longer private versus public status. Instead it is institutional prestige and a number of factors related to perceptions of institutional value, including direction, mission, strength of leadership, and distinctive features. (MSE)

Fiscal problems facing Australian higher education, the trend toward private ownership of institutions and participation in institutional matters, and political and financial consequences are discussed. Private sector assistance and influence, policy problems in the push for foreign student enrollments, and the changes occurring within institution…

The historical path that led to the American system of institutional diversity in higher education is examined, and its positive (e.g., institutional autonomy, flexibility) and negative (e.g., possible over-responsiveness to short-term pressures) consequences are discussed. Issues in the privatization of higher education systems in other countries…

An English teacher at Amherst College and Greenfield Community College (Massachusetts) compares characteristics and attitudes of students at the two institutions. It is concluded that, although the students differ in may ways, all are equally deserving of a safe and supportive learning environment and a sound education. (MSE)