The decade of the 1970s saw the evolution of a regulatory society and a growth in the degree of external oversight of higher education by elected officials. Achieving balanced governance in the 1980s centers around a leadership role at the state higher education coordinating level. (MLW)

The relationship between the federal government and higher education is examined with focus on federal aid and especially federal regulations. Justifications for the federal regulatory role and suggestions for improving the relationship by both higher education and the government are offered. (JMD)

Every six years or so, reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 provides the opportunity for Congress--and the nation--to examine the current conditions and consider the future needs of higher education. While reauthorization tends to focus on funding and on "fixing" postsecondary education's most visible problems, the…

Colleges, universities, and the government have been trying to find the appropriate balance between autonomy and accountability, restraint and regulations. It is suggested that decisions should be made at the appropriate level within an organization, and over-regulation costs more in diminished creativity than could be saved through tight…