CENTRALIZATION AND HIGHER EDUCATION / ROLAND N. MCKEAN.

SUGGESTED COSTS AND BENEFITS OF CENTRALIZED AUTHORITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION AS THEY AFFECT THE BEHAVIOR OF LEGISLATORS, ADMINISTRATORS, VOTERS, TEACHERS, AND STUDENTS, WERE EXAMINED BY COMPARING POLICIES OF DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS (TWO MULTIVERSITIES OR COORDINATED STATE COLLEGE SYSTEMS, TWO RELATIVELY INDEPENDENT PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN ONE STATE, AND THREE PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS IN ONE STATE). CENTRALIZATION OCCURRED IF, FOR TEACHING ANY GIVEN NUMBER OF STUDENTS, FEWER SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR CHOICES. THE INFORMATION USED TO COMPARE THE INSTITUTIONS WAS OBTAINED FROM ADMINISTRATIVE MANUALS, FACULTY HANDBOOKS, AND CATALOGS. THE RESULTS OBTAINED WERE--(1) THE GREATER THE DEGREE OF CENTRALIZATION, THE MORE THE CONSTRAINTS ON LOWER-LEVEL CHOICES, (2) THE GREATER THE DEGREE OF CENTRALIZATION, THE LESS DIVERSITY IN POLICIES AND PRACTICES AFFECTING A GIVEN NUMBER OF STUDENTS, (3) CENTRALIZATION MAY YIELD NEGLECT OF RELEVANT COSTS AND GAINS, AND (4) CENTRALIZATION MAY YIELD A LESS DESIRABLE WAY OF RESOLVING CONFLICTS. (HW)

Microfiche. [Washington D.C.]: ERIC Clearinghouse microfiches : positive.