Most economists expect the current economic downturn to be one of the most severe since World War II. In fact, there is a very real danger that the changing circumstances of students, families, state and federal governments, and educational institutions could interact to significantly diminish educational opportunity in the United States. The most…

This past June, the Iowa River overflowed its banks and deluged 20 buildings on the University of Iowa's Iowa City campus. As the floodwaters finally receded, regents and administrators on the Iowa campus began dealing with all the ramifications and lessons of the flooding--including the key roles of testing emergency plans, nonstop communication,…

College trustees should be aware of the latest round of federal regulations because they threaten to impose unprecedented government control on colleges and universities. Some regulations signal an expansion of the federal role into a broader effort to improve and monitor quality in higher education. (Author/MSE)

The National Commission on the Cost of Higher Education, appointed by Congress to conduct a comprehensive review of college costs and prices, warns that colleges and universities must contain prices and demystify their financial operations or face a public backlash that could trigger government cost controls. Its report calls for five specific…

Higher education should respond to the accreditation crisis by making evaluation/accreditation sector-specific, developing a common sense of mission and standards for each sector, working with the federal government to define a supportive federal role, structuring the evaluation/accreditation process to stimulate institutional change, focusing on…

Many colleges address complex problems with a single "silver bullet" strategy. Because value shifts according to the consumer's situation or goal, private colleges should become more aware of their "situational value" and exploit it. This requires an understanding of how students choose colleges. In contrast, popular silver bullets target…