ERIC Number: ED029571
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1966-Oct
Pages: 20
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
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Margin for Excellence. The Role of Voluntary Support in Public Higher Education.
National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Washington, DC. Office of Institutional Research.
The major sources of income for public colleges and universities in the US are state governments, the federal government, auxiliary enterprises (housing, bookstores, etc.), tuition, and student fees. Although the amount of state tax support is rising in dollars, it is declining as a percentage of total income for many public institutions. Because of the increasing competition for state revenue, it represents less than 40% of total income for public institutions today, and may drop even more in the future. Tax dollars can support basic needs such as the building and maintenance of classrooms, libraries, laboratories, and can provide average salaries for staff members. But the "margin for excellence," represented by such enriching features of a sound educational program as cultural programs, continuing research, new courses of study, competitive faculty salaries, student aid, and museum and library collections, depends chiefly on private support. Recent figures from the Council for Financial Aid to Education show that public institutions receive only 15% of the voluntary support dollars for higher education. If public institutions are to maintain their educational quality and contribute to the country's needs for highly trained manpower and to a constantly evolving body of science and technology, they will require much more support from private sources. (WM)
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Authoring Institution: National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges, Washington, DC. Office of Institutional Research.
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A