What follows are some higher education issues that members of Congress are likely to encounter in the next term. State legislators will deal with some of the same matters. Look for a town meeting or other opportunity to ask candidates about these issues. You may learn something interesting about their attitudes toward higher education, and you may be able to steer them toward second thoughts on some of their positions. This country has a diverse collection of institutions of higher education, private and public, small and large, ranging from community colleges to research universities.
States provide additional support.
Support for Research Corporations invest in market-oriented research and realize profits from their investments. The federal government funds a significant portion of all basic academic research, including some research projects that will never result in marketable products. Public Records versus Privacy Public funds pay for many benefits enjoyed by private individuals, including veterans job-training allowances, Pell grants for students, Medicare and Medicaid payments for health care, and support of research projects. Distance Education Many universities and colleges are experimenting with new modes of teaching using electronic communications. The labor market no longer divides neatly into managers and workers.