There were declines in three of the six categories of science and engineering assistance between 1975 and 1985: fellowships and training grants; facilities and equipment related to instruction; and general support for conferences, teacher institutes, and activities aimed at increasing the scientific knowledge of pre-college and undergraduate…

Trends emerging from a new enrollment report by the National Institute of Independent Colleges and Universities (NIICU) indicate hard times ahead for colleges in the private sector. General economic recession and cuts in federal student financial aid have had an effect on enrollment. (MLW)

Expenditures by six colleges (Lynchburg College, Seattle University, the University of Chicago, the University of South Carolina, Western State College of Colorado, and Williams College) are analyzed. Many of the data used for the analysis are those supplied by the annual Higher Education General Information Survey (HEGIS). (MLW)

A study to clarify the differences between money income and real income for scholars is discussed. A monetary value is placed on the discretionary time that accrues to faculty. The study reveals that an academic career offers more freedom, dignity, autonomy, and real income than employment outside the university. (MLW)

The recent history of trends affecting the affordability of college are summarized. A better balance needs to be established between loan and grant support for students. The Stafford Student Loan Program (formerly the Guaranteed Student Loan Program) and the Reishauer HELP program are discussed. (MLW)

The wide variation among the states in the support level on a per-student basis of aid to private institutions by state and local governments is discussed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Total aid, state-by-state statistics, private sector enrollment, and enrollment vs. aid are examined. (MLW)

College costs, methods of payment, and how the pressure to make money may be shaping enrollment patterns are reviewed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. There is some evidence that students who take sizable loans may major in such fields as business, engineering, and allied health, which offer higher salaries. (MLW)

The conflict between institutional mission and finance is stressed in this article based on a Brookings Institution study. This tension promises to grow as academe adjusts to a drop in the traditional college-age population, and as the promise of expanding adult markets is either realized or falls short of expectations. (MLW)