Authority of State Executive Agencies over Higher Education. Bulletin, 1936, No. 15

Overview & Synopsis

The United States Office of Education through its Division of Higher Education has been conducting a series of studies on the general subject of the relation of the State to higher education. Four studies have already been published in bulletin form under the following titles: (1) The State and Higher Education, Phases of Their Relationship; (2) Privately Controlled Higher Education in the United States; (3) Supervision Exercised by States Over Privately Controlled Institutions of Higher Education; (4) The Problem of Duplication as Attacked in Certain State Surveys in Higher Education. This fifth study is devoted to another important aspect of the relation of the State to higher education. It deals especially with the problem of the consolidation of the administration of State universities and colleges with that of the regular administrative functions of the State government. An essential to the success of State higher education, as in the case of elementary and secondary public education, is the maintenance of its control free from any possibility of partisan political influences. For this reason the institutions have been placed in most instances under the management of specially created governing boards endowed with a virtual trusteeship over their affairs. There are, however, indications of a change in this situation. One of the significant features of the development is the investment of jurisdiction over certain administrative affairs of the institutions in regularly constituted State executive officials and agencies. (Contains 3 footnotes.) [Best copy available has been provided.]