The tight budgets that many governors have recently proposed have public colleges in a growing number of states convinced that lean times have returned. The situation is particularly dire in certain southern states. In many states, higher education budgets are taking a back seat to public schools. In some states, lack of state funding is forcing…

South Carolina has instituted a system of accountability linked to funding for its public colleges; it includes six measures of faculty, six measures of graduate preparedness to succeed, and five measures of instructional quality. The practice has transformed the way the institution operates, but some educators question the fairness and…

Many state legislatures are authorizing the largest bond issues for campus facilities in years, in part for deferred maintenance and repairs. The robust national economy appears to be the main force driving the spending trend. Ironically, some of the states best positioned to give colleges large construction windfalls are those limited…

Throughout the nation, increased state appropriations to public colleges are common; at least seven states are giving double-digit percentage increases. Lawmakers are linking funding to state goals and demanding greater accountability, and governors are willing to veto expenditures they consider excessive. Other funding issues include tuition cuts…

In at least ten states, often those with the lowest public-college faculty salaries, higher-education leaders have made more-competitive faculty salaries a top legislative priority this year. Many of the proposals have encountered resistance from governors and state legislators who have other budgetary priorities or who feel that public-college…

An annual survey finds that states, overall, allocated about 7 percent, or $3.7 billion, more money for college operations and student aid this year than last. Two-year colleges, historically black public universities, and student aid received particularly large increases. The good economy and legislators' willingness to invest in higher education…