STATE-WIDE PLANNING AND COORDINATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION

THE AUTHOR BELIEVES THAT STATEWIDE PERSPECTIVE FOR THE TOTAL SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION REQUIRES AN INDEPENDENT STATE AGENCY AND SUGGESTS SEVERAL APPROACHES TO LONG-RANGE PLANNING AND COORDINATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION WITH REFERENCE TO THE SOUTHERN STATES. THREE GENERAL TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS ARE INCLUDED (1) SINGLE COORDINATING-GOVERNING BOARDS, (2) LIAISON COORDINATING BOARDS, INTERMEDIARIES BETWEEN HIGHER INSTITUTIONS HAVING THEIR OWN BOARDS AND THE STATE LEGISLATURE AND ADMINISTRATIVE AGENCIES, AND (3) VOLUNTARY COORDINATION WITH NO EXTERNAL AGENCY CONTROL. EIGHT GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR A STATE PLANNING AND COORDINATION AGENCY ARE SUMMARIZED (1) A CLEAR CONCEPT OF THE LONG-RANGE MEANING OF PLANNING AND COORDINATION, (2) DIFFERENTIATION BETWEEN PLANNING OF POLICY-MAKING AND INSTITUTIONAL MANAGEMENT WHICH SHOULD NOT BE A STATE FUNCTION, (3) DIVESTMENT OF PARTISAN POLITICS, (4) CONSISTENCY AND CONTINUITY IN PURPOSES, POLICIES, AND FUNCTIONS, (5) EFFECTIVE LIAISON WITH INSTITUTIONS, THE LEGISLATURE, AND THE PUBLIC, (6) DETERMINATION OF CRITERIA FOR NEW PROGRAMS AND INSTITUTIONS, (7) COMPETENT STAFF WITH AN EXECUTIVE OFFICER HAVING SALARY AND STATUS COMPARABLE TO A UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT, AND (8) ADEQUATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT. SALARIES OF STATEWIDE ADMINISTRATIVE OR COORDINATING AGENCY STAFFS IN THE SOUTH ARE TABULATED AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED OF 25 GENERAL REFERENCES AND NINE STATE COUNCIL OR BOARD REPORTS. (DE)