Although the federal influence on higher education is important, throughout the United States' history the state role in higher education has been a vital and changing one, and not always uniform. In 1976, two-thirds of the institutional revenue coming from government came from the states, making the state issue an important one. One of the most striking recent developments, too, is the establishment of additional statewide governing and coordinating boards, whose role has evolved into a large and complex one. It would be all too easy to look at the changing situation as involving simply further erosion of institutional independence. But there is another dimension: the possibility of maintaining the kind of independence essential to academic integrity along with being reasonably accountable for quality and results required by the state. These dimensions may depend far more fully than in the past on effective institutional involvement and cooperation with state higher education boards and agencies. (Author/MSE)