Small increases in research and development funding and the state of the economy pose serious challenges to research universities. It is unlikely that the financial pressures will moderate. Research universities will be challenged to downsize by restructuring resources without compromising their quality. (Author/MSE)

A study of five private liberal arts colleges (Arkansas, Catawba, Pomona, Waldorf, Washington) examined organizational changes in the 1980s, contributing factors, and overall institutional impact. Results suggest the colleges were better places to work and learn than a decade earlier, with improvements in campus life, curricula, faculty…

It is suggested that health professional schools are often dominated by the politics of the medical school, as has been the case in the health sciences at the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Experiences of the fields of optometry, podiatry, and dentistry are offered as illustrations. (MSE)

Analyzes the historical development of the six City University of New York (CUNY) community colleges. Reports that, as nontraditional institutions noted for their responsiveness to student needs, they face an uncertain future as a result of current contention over their open admissions policy and their roles as urban public universities. Contains…

Laboratory schools play an important role in furthering the study of child development and education. Budget cutbacks at universities have threatened the existence of many lab schools, and a growing number are expanding to full-day programming to develop more consistent sources of funding. As lab schools evolve we must consider how they can best…

This book presents the story of small colleges in American higher education and how they can best respond to meet contemporary challenges. Chapter 1, an introduction, discusses the importance of the topic, small schools' strategic strengths, and market and institutional realities. Chapter 2 looks at the history of the small liberal arts college,…

The intent of this project was to determine the financial impact of the rural economic crisis on rural community health centers. A 1986-87 survey reported changes in accounts receivable, bad debt, and sliding fee use, and the effect such changes may have on the cash position of rural community health centers. Of 284 rural community and migrant…

A study comparing the commitment to social change of college students in 1978 and 1988 is presented, focusing on those issues that directly affect black students. The responses of 541 incoming freshmen attending the 1988 orientation program at the University of Maryland, College Park, were compared to those of 1,091 freshmen who attended the…

The radical restructuring of Alaska's public higher education system, brought on by Alaska's 1986 economic collapse, is described. It is significant because it is the most dramatic general funding reduction to an entire state public higher education system since World War II. Six sections discuss the following: (1) introduction to the University…

An overview of Michigan State University's (MSU) Refocusing, Rebalancing, and Refining (R3) process is presented. R3 is a concerted effort to assure that MSU is doing the right things at the right time, addressing the changes which are exerting powerful influences on MSU's future. It is also a document describing the strategic planning process.…

Black land-grant institutions have undergone dramatic changes in the last two decades, being forced to reevaluate their missions, develop new student recruitment strategies, and forge new relationships with predominantly White colleges and state legislatures in an effort to survive and to serve their clientele. (MSE)

This paper examines the impact on small rural school districts of school choice programs available in Minnesota. An opening section traces the history of school choice in Minnesota since 1983, focusing on two programs enacted in 1990: enrollment options (EO), which allows students to attend any public school without cost, and postsecondary…

The authors argue that a recently proposed Minnesota policy for implementing full-cost tuition in selected practitioner master's degree programs in state institutions is counterproductive. The proposed policy is examined as a case study of probable supply and demand effects on student enrollments and institutional vitality. (Author/MSE)

It is argued that, although Canadian universities face serious problems of money, morale, and purpose, their main problem may be that they are ill-equipped for constructive, institutionwide problem solving because of a preoccupation with finances, lack of useful decision-making or decision-implementing structures, and neglect of their own…

Describes how staff at an outdoor education center responded to budget cuts and the threat of program cancellation by encouraging outside use of the center for a fee, and by developing a partnership with the Demonstration Forest Program, resulting in improvement to nature trails and the reinstatement of day-trip programs. (LP)