Explores how the economic downturn and consequent state budget cuts have driven public colleges to increase tuition by 7.7 percent, the largest rise since 1993. Includes several tables on tuition at U.S. schools. (EV)

College and university presidents are increasingly called upon to make informed choices about technology. The rapidly shifting landscape makes it tough to keep up with change and innovation, let alone stay ahead of the curve. In this article, the authors discuss 10 trends to watch in campus technology. These trends are the following: (1) increased…

Aggressive campaigns by small groups of citizens have made it nearly impossible to close or merge public colleges, with the result that parochial interests often triumph over the needs of the state as a whole and higher education planning is becoming more political and less logical. (Author/MSE)

Widespread reports of substantial tuition increases have generated an atmosphere of crisis, but state colleges are reassuring parents that the costs affect relatively few people and are illogically affecting state tuition policies. (MSE)

Persistent state legislative interest in public college faculty workload is causing higher education advocates to redirect the debate to consistent measurement of faculty effort, relationship of cost and quality, and intrusion of management on faculty's professional autonomy. Faculty are participating more in the debate. (MSE)

A survey of 411 institutions of higher education is analyzed in terms of the short-term and long-term financial pressures on colleges experiencing cuts in operating budgets. Noted are the heavy impact of budget cuts on public institutions and the increased numbers of traditional first-year students. (DB)

In Portland, an Oregon state commission wants to create a federation of public and private institutions to meet local demand through better coordination. The effort may involve having some institutions refocus curricula to social and economic issues facing the community, seeking less state and more private funds, and joint faculty hiring. (MSE)

Discusses prospects for City University of New York in light of its recent decision to end both open admissions and remedial programs. Quotes the school's chancellor who wants to restore the school's earlier reputation for high quality general education, professional schools, and Ph.D. programs. Also notes administrative and funding concerns. (DB)

Reports on ongoing efforts in Mississippi and Maryland to integrate public colleges 47 years after "separate but equal" was declared unconstitutional. Notes controversy over the role of historically black colleges. In 10 states continuing college desegregation cases are in the courts. A graphic summarizes the status of these cases by…

A chart summarizes state appropriations in the United States for major higher education institutions and programs for 1999-2000, noting the percentage change over the previous year. A second chart ranks the states by appropriation amounts and by one-year percentage change, and also provides specific appropriation amounts and five-year average…

Data on high school graduates per 1,000 population, public college students per 1,000 population, higher education as a percentage of tax revenue, state and local tax dollars per college student, and the percentage of higher education revenue generated by tuition are reported for each state and the District of Columbia. (MSE)

The growing restiveness and political force of the Mexican-American population is strengthening state institutions in South Texas, whose enrollments are predominantly Mexican-American and who are fighting discrimination in the state legislature. (MSE)

The U.S. Justice Department is renewing its charge, overturned last year, that Alabama's public colleges are racially segregated, focusing on discrimination in individual programs receiving federal funds. (MSE)

Michigan's legislature has approved the only statewide plan to allow parents to prepay their child's tuition to any of the state colleges, state universities, or community colleges. Prepayment may begin any time from the child's birth until his or her 18th birthday, and the money will be invested in a trust. (MSE)

Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York face giant deficits in their state budgets. The financial impact of the 1986 federal tax reform law was underestimated by colleges and income estimates were overly optimistic for 1988 and 1989. Unpopular, new taxes are seen as the way to solve the budget crunch. (MLW)