Since establishing its first campus in 1868, the University of California (UC), California's land-grant university, developed into the nation's first multi-campus system in the United States, and is today widely recognized as the world's premier network of public research universities. This short essay provides an historical brief on the role that…

Because higher education serves both public and private interests, the way it is conceived and financed is contested politically, appearing in different forms in different societies. What is public and private in education is a political--social construct, subject to various political forces, primarily interpreted through the prism of the state.…

In this article, the authors describe one institution--East Carolina University--that they think is representative of an important type and a large proportion of American universities, the comprehensive public university, and its responses to the lingering Great Recession. As a group, comprehensives handle almost 40 per cent of the total student…

In a time of transformation in higher education, "Leading Change: How Boards and Presidents Build Exceptional Institutions" fills a significant void in leadership literature and focuses on the changing level of board engagement. This book examines 18 institutions, across the spectrum of higher education, at which the board played a…

A discussion of new financing models for Spain's public universities first looks at recent institutional changes; the evolution of the university system over the last decade in terms of student, financial, and human resources; its situation within the international context; student demand; graduate output; and labor market demand for graduates.…

This document reports on the governance of the Texas system of public higher education. The first section of the report describes the Texas public higher education system as it exists today. This section discusses the history of Texas education, its structure of governance, facilities, academic and research programs, health-realted institutions,…

Public higher education stands as one of the true success stories in our nation's history. It is a story of transformation-for students, main streets, communities, and states-from the Industrial Age to the Space Age and now to the Information Age. For nearly a century and a half, the American people have looked to state colleges and…

One of the working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, this document presents statistical data on the transition of Arizona's universities, consolidating many ad hoc analyses. It lists selected data that helped identify and develop Task Force issues and describes the…

One of the working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, this document focuses on the normal and documented activities that could be described as leading to strategic choices and implementation efforts in the Arizona universities. The strategic planning literature is…

As one in a series of working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' (ABOR) Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, this document presents data on an anlaysis undertaken to determine how Arizona's universities emphasize new or expanded programs. Areas of institutional focus are identified to help develop…

As one of the working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, this document makes a comparison between Arizona's system of higher education and those of other states, in order to place Arizona's higher education efforts in perspective. The number of universities and…

The author of recommended reforms for public college and university governing boards that had been outlined in an Association of Governing Boards policy paper, responds to criticism of the reform strategies and expands on his suggestions in four areas: the call for larger boards; merit selection of trustees; greater trustee philanthropy; and…

One of the working papers in the final report of the Arizona Board of Regents' Task Force on Excellence, Efficiency and Competitiveness, this document looks at ways to approach future changes in Arizona, focusing on how they will affect the higher education needs of the state. It is important to consider long term outlooks in order to better…

This open letter to the presidents and chancellors of state universities and land-grant colleges addresses institutional culture and organization, arguing that large public universities must be rebalanced and reintegrated if they are to fulfill their public responsibility in the future. An Executive Summary provides some historical background, as…

A reexamination of recommended reforms for public college and university governing boards, outlined in an Association of Governing Boards policy paper, suggests that borrowing approaches from private higher education will not necessarily solve the challenges facing private education. Issues discussed include the board's role and functions,…