The persons, groups, and agencies that share in the control of a public college/university or system are identified, and issues facing higher education and approaches to the problem of control are considered. The following higher education components are examined: the institution and its board of trustees, faculty bodies and student bodies, statewide coordinating boards, various state agencies, legislative committees, and federal agencies and courts. Issues facing higher education include declining enrollments, equal opportunity and access to education, educational finance, the missions of institutions or systems, educational quality, institutional autonomy, and long-range planning responsibilities. It is suggested that state government must make its responsibility clear to all concerned for overall assignment of mission, level of funding, and state policy of access and equality of opportunity. The state must also clarify that statewide planning is within its authority. Within a framework of government policy, institutions should be free to develop their own answers to their needs, and faculty should be free to develop academic programs and student services. It is further suggested that both colleges and state government should keep a check on the federal government's influence in higher education. (SW)