Recent policy changes and conflicts within Australian higher education hold some lessons for other countries. States are encouraged to take an active and early role in planning to avoid confusion, especially by beginning planning before budget cuts are taken. (MSE)

A member of the Commission on the Year 2000 recalls the practical hazards and psychic rewards of forecasting the future of a nation. (Editor/LBH)

The politics of petrodollars stands high on the list of academic concerns as universities wrestle with the ethics of accepting profitable Middle Eastern research and teaching contracts. Implications of the issues involved--political repression, discrimination, student selection, curriculum control--are addressed. (LBH)

The experiences of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education are described, including its establishment in 1965, its abolishment in 1976, and reconsideration by the state legislature in 1977. Political and financial problems are noted. (LBH)

A discussion of distance education as the fastest-growing instructional pattern in the world looks at enrollment trends and the immediate concerns of the institutions, including student attrition, the need to maintain strong communication links with students, and administrative and logistical problems. (MSE)

The retreat from social and racial progress is examined as an outgrowth of Vietnam, the changing temper of intellectuals, and the slowing of economic growth. Some effects of the country's mood on education are discussed, including tuition increases, faculty salaries, and accountability. (LBH)

Financial and morale problems at the Rhode Island School of Design under the presidency of Lee Hall are discussed. Considered are professional obligations and consulting, endowment fund administration, museum management, and political influences. (LBH)

The staggering growth of higher education in Brazil has affected academic performance, income levels, the labor market, and student aspirations as well as the political perspective of the authoritarian regime. Implications of broader access to education and of student activism are discussed. (LBH)

Radical changes in academe as a result of the Cultural Revolution, many of which are still felt on Chinese campuses, and the desire to rebuild the scholarly structure are discussed. (MSE)

Changes wrought and unsucessfully attempted in the research universities in the past decade are outlined, and the reasons discussed. The lack of positive change is seen to stem from the place of the research university in the higher education system, the institutions' diversity, and the role of faculty. The lessons inherent are highlighted. (MSE)

The need for effective lobbying in Washington by Black colleges and the shortcomings of present activities are outlined. Specific actions regarding Title III funds for developing institutions are among the lobbying needs assessed. (JMF)

Student revolt was precipitated in 1977 by a government provision aimed at limiting the range of elective courses and thereby stiffening the course requirements for university degrees. Social, economic, and political implications of the student movement are discussed. (LBH)

The Clinton administration's proposed national service program for college students receiving federal financial aid is examined from a labor-market perspective. It is proposed that national service and higher education be linked more formally than in the current proposal, avoiding considerable bureaucracy and potentially improving program quality.…

The growth of higher education in Iran is reflected in the attraction of such institutions as the Iran Center for Management Studies, Araymehr University, and the University of Tehran. The problem of maintaining quality during expansion is explored along with political implications. (LBH)

This article suggests that, contrary to the opinion of many neoconservative critics, most professors are "academic agnostics" aligning themselves with neither the left nor right politically. The plea by such groups as the National Association of Scholars for a restoration of the academic ethic and consensus is seen to rest on faulty…