THE POLITICAL INFLUENCES IMPOSED ON BOTH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES WERE DISCUSSED. FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, THE AUTHOR CONCLUDED THAT BOTH TYPES OF INSTITUTION ARE SUBJECT TO PRESSURE FROM POWERFUL, OFTEN SUBTLE, EXTERNAL FORCES, ALTHOUGH THE FORM AND ORIGIN OF ENCROACHMENT MIGHT DIFFER. SOME OF THE WAYS PRESSURES ARE EXERTED WERE DESCRIBED, AND A NUMBER OF SUGGESTIONS WERE MADE (1) FOR CHANGES IN THE SELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BOARDS OF COLLEGES, (2) FOR REDUCTION OF CONTROLS EXERCISED OVER THE PUBLIC FUNDS APPROPRIATED FOR UNIVERSITY OPERATION, (3) FOR DETERMINATION, BY THE COLLEGE, OF THE SOCIAL NEEDS IT WILL CHOOSE TO FILL, AND (4) FOR COOPERATION AMONG INSTITUTIONS WITHIN A STATE IN INTERRELATED EDUCATIONAL NETWORKS. PROBLEMS OF PLANNING, COORDINATION, GOVERNMENTAL INFLUENCE, AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY THAT HAVE DEVELOPED IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION OF BOTH GREAT BRITAIN AND CANADA WERE ALSO PRESENTED. THIS PAPER WAS PREPARED FOR THE CONFERENCE ON "CAMPUS AND CAPITOL," BERKELEY, JULY 14, 1966. (AL)