The Ontario Council of University Affairs was established to counsel the provincial government concerning higher education and to act as a buffer between institutions and government. However, with no statutory authority, its advice has been largely ignored or rejected. A 1983 commission to rectify the situation has not succeeded. (MSE)

Funding practices of Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, the principal source of funds for university-based research and scholarship in those disciplines, are examined. In the current competitive environment, the council uses varied evaluation activities, from peer-based grant adjudication for operational purposes to program…