While U.S. voters delivered a significant change in the 2024 federal elections, they opted for steady leadership at the state level. No state board of education shifted in partisan control, and only five seats saw a shift in political party out of 27 races that were contested in the general election. This policy update looks at the results of…

The theme of the meeting for which these profiles were prepared is "Coordinating Higher Education: Setting State Policies in the 80s." The profiles of the 14 states covered by the Southern Regional Education Board (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee,…

Profiles of the 14 states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) provide information on the structure of these states for public postsecondary education and budgeting. For each state, the following areas are discussed: state-level coordinating and/or governing agency, institutional governing boards, state board for vocational education,…

This study surveyed the attitudes of public policy makers in higher education from Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee to find areas for developing fundamental policies for desegregation. A total of 71 surveys were mailed to state higher education executive officers (SHEEOs), legislative chairs of education or of higher…

The relationship of the state coordinating agency with the governor, the general assembly, and higher education institutions is addressed in relation to meeting budget needs for colleges and universities. Specific reference is also made to the state of Arkansas. It is suggested that the state coordinating agency should be in the position to be…

This paper begins with a history of the tumultuous beginning of Arkansas's two-year college system. The system has gone through three major eras with the third, and current, era beginning in 1991. As a result of commissions sponsored by local businesses and the Carnegie Foundation in 1991, legislation was passed to convert 13 of the 24 vocational…

Actions taken on higher education by the 1985 Arkansas General Assembly and the First Extraordinary Session are summarized. Successful and unsuccessful legislation are identified, and the appropriation and funding process for each institution is shown in chart form. The general revenue appropriations for higher education for the 1985-1987 biennium…