A study undertaken in 1977 by the Sloan Commission on the Regulation of Higher Education addressed the issue of government influence on postsecondary institutions. This overview of the study, the first chapter of the final report, summarizes the major recommendations in these areas: federal regulation, the role of the states (composition of higher education boards, reviews of program quality, changes in appropriation formulas, and minimum standards), student financial aid (present program limitations, changes in the Basic Educational Opportunity Grant program, low tuition at open-access state institutions, awards to colleges to promote retention, a national education loan bank, merit grants, and the overall program), research support (stability and growth of funding, reallocation project funds for new purposes, and financial oversight), and medical education (shifts in federal concerns, minority admissions, and enrollment limits). Two recommendations are emphasized: (1) the creation of a single enforcement agency for equal opportunity laws and regulations in higher education, and (2) reform of the federal financial aid program to ensure grants are reserved for poor students while loans are used to widen college choice for students of families at all income levels. Comments and dissents by individual commission members are included in a separate chapter, an outline of the full report is appended, and notes on individual commission members are given. (MSE)