Reviews political science literature on changing state politics. A statistical analysis focuses on the relationship between changing legislative structures and higher education for all 50 states. Presents a case study of Pennsylvania that suggests a possible causal relationship between changing political structure and limitation of public…

A study investigated the measurement of organizational decline in 82 universities where objective and perceptual measures of decline appeared to contradict each other. Results suggest institutions with objectively-measured decline without perception of decline are characterized by processes of "decline as crisis," while institutions with…

Describes the process of retrenchment at a medium-sized state university (pseudonyms used) for the purpose of analyzing the isomorphic pressures (mimetic, coercive, normative) surfacing during the process and the role played by rationalism in decision-making. Draws on the literature of organizational theory and change, and makes comparisons with…

Reports a national survey (1994-95) of governing boards and board members of Canadian universities. Outlines the context for the study, methodology, and results concerning the characteristics of governing boards and board members, the work of board members, the role of boards and members, and major differences between university governing boards…

This study explored the experiences of faculty and staff at a Minnesota technical college involved in a statewide initiative to develop innovative models for providing equal opportunities to students with disabilities. The findings suggest meaningful change tended to occur when those involved saw themselves as authors of change rather than its…

Comments on seven "propositions" about the future of higher education made by Howard Bowen in 1989, including observations about the capacity to predict change, the value ascribed to higher education by the public, characterization of higher education as a growth industry, need for improvement in higher education's quality, and…

Explores changes in academic jobs and career trajectories by examining shifts in faculty employment patterns in Canadian universities (excluding Quebec). Discusses the general history of job entitlements, then the experiences of 15 cohorts of entrants to university teaching, and examines how these findings contribute to the debate on the future of…

Examines shifts in federal student aid and research and development policies over two decades, and argues that policy changes have converged on public research universities, making them exemplars of Reagan economics marked by privatization, deregulation, and commercialization. Patterns of institutional resource allocation to departments are…

Although multidisciplinary research teams are well-equipped to attack complex problems, actually succeeding in such endeavors is not easy. This paper explores problems that may arise in multidisciplinary research teams, develops a grounded theory, and offers suggestions to help teams reach their goals. It also offers advice to administrators for…

The ideology of community college leadership dominant in the professional literature is examined using discourse analysis techniques. It is concluded that strong, often militaristic description perpetuates an image of leadership that is exclusionary, narrow, and inappropriate for community colleges, which serve diverse constituencies. Development…

A study at the University of Tennessee Knoxville used mixed-effect structural equation models incorporating latent variables as an alternative to conventional methods of analyzing college students' (n=722) first-year-to-senior academic gains. Results indicate, contrary to previous analysis, that coursework and student characteristics interact to…

A study examined the organizational configuration and promotion policies and practices for administrative and professional staff at Ohio State University. Analysis of 3,170 positions and 350 internal promotions indicated a low pyramid with most positions in the middle. Racial and gender imbalances were found in the different employment levels.…

Based on data from the National Longitudinal Study of the Class of 1972, this study confirmed the financial value of the baccalaureate degree, in comparison with the high school diploma, and well-known differences in income to graduates by field of study. Differences by type of higher education institution were relatively smaller. (Author/MSE)

Some organizational theorists use biological evolution as the theoretical base of their work. Many such theorists in business have applied a new view of evolution, that of punctuated equilibria, but those in higher education have not. The new theory has implications for leadership and change in college administration. (Author/MSE)

A study of college affordability compared changes in family income, Pell grants, Stafford loans, and state grants with changes in the average costs of public two- and four-year colleges. It concluded that both sectors became more affordable to low- and middle-income families in the 1970s but less affordable in the 1980s. (Author/DB)