1. Higher Education in the United States of America Paul E. Lingenfelter, State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO) May 21, 2004

2. Higher Education in the USA: Statistical overview

3. Higher Education in the USA: Substantive overview Decentralized and highly competitive, within and among sectors Less competitive in less-selective, local market institutions Stratified by selectively, reputation, expenditures per student, and cost to the student Institutional characteristics vary widely among the states Greatly connected with intercollegiate athletics, in the public mind Federal roles: Student grants and guaranteed loans Research – competitive and directed (“earmarks”) Grant programs on national priorities – workforce development, etc. Growing interest in consumer information, regulation and agenda setting State roles: Public institutional “ownership” (governance and direct financial support) Research, economic development, public service Workforce development investment – complicated by migration Student assistance grants (varies widely among the states) Academic program authorization Private institution licensing and regulation (very light) Voluntary sector roles: Accreditation Private giving – to institutions and student assistance grants Privately sponsored commercial and general research Salient outcomes, trends, and issues: Widespread participation, uneven academic performance and success World class research and graduate education – increasingly less dominant Policy debates over need-based aid, merit aid, tuition discounting Policy debates over extent of public subsidies, student costs, efficiency Policy debates on accountability, responsiveness, consumer information Challenge of financing increased participation in an aging society