State spending for higher education in the US grew at the fastest rate during the 2005-2006 fiscal year, allowing most colleges in the nation to regain their financial balance after a series of tight budgets for five years. A new analysis by the Center for the Study of Education Policy, at Illinois State University reported that the total…

Describes the efforts of many public universities to become top-flight research institutions and discusses the costs in terms of state and federal spending. Experts say an institution has to spend a great deal of money and exert an enormous effort to advance even one spot in national rankings. (SLD)

College and university endowments (N=466) are ranked based on June 1996 market value. Market values for the previous year are also cited. Individual public and private institutions, university systems, and specialty schools are included. (MSE)

Asserts that state colleges, squeezed between research universities and community colleges, are falling even further behind due to pressure from legislators and growing competition from distance education and for-profit institutions. Discusses various issues in their decline and attempted makeovers, including faculty, "mission creep," declining…

A statistical table reports the changes in the number of college applicants from March 1, 1984, to March 1, 1985, showing data separately for public and private institutions, by institutional type, region of the country, and institutional size. (LB)

An annual national survey shows that state aid to public higher education in 1993-94 has increased in 36 states, with 9 receiving increases over 10%. However, appropriations have decreased 25% in California, 10% in Montana. Data on dollar appropriations and trends, by institution, are presented for each state. (MSE)

Describes how donors and foundations provide a growing proportion of the salaries and benefits of presidents of state universities, raising the issue of whether the extra money keeps good talent or skews priorities. (EV)

The number of private, public, and total universities, four-year colleges, and two-year colleges are charted to show fall 1983 student enrollments of: under 200, 200-499, 500-999, 1,000-2,499, 2,500-4,999, 5,000-9,999, 10,000-19,999, 20,000-29,999, and 30,000 or more. (MSE)

Since Montana's establishment of a state university system in 1893, residents have been divided over how many institutions are needed and what programs should be offered, but the situation is worsened by the state's current poor economic climate and the too-large system. (MSE)

The text of a report by the National Commission on the Role and Future of State Colleges and Universities concerning the need for substantial improvement in the leadership of the sector is presented. (MSE)

Public and private colleges and universities are ranked according to the 1984 value of their endowments, with changes in value since June 30, 1983, noted when available. Data are from a voluntary comparative performance study by the National Association of College and University Business Officers. (MSE)

Recent state appropriations for higher education in Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont are tabulated. Governors in all those states signed spending bills for higher education. (MLW)

Describes how, with the stock market falling and tuitions at public colleges rising, states' prepaid tuition plans face potential difficulty in paying out their contracts. (EV)

Describes how coaches in Pennsylvania's state-college system have formed a union for more bargaining power. (EV)

The Department of Education's announcement of new policy concerning the evaluation of college desegregation efforts could affect the monitoring of compliance in several states in which court-ordered desegregation plans have expired. The higher standards are based on the 1992 Supreme Court ruling, United States v. Fordice. (MSE)