The last two decades have been a turbulent period for American higher
education, with profound demographic shifts, gyrating salaries, and
marked changes in the economy. While enrollments rose about 50% in that
period, sharp increases in tuition and fees at colleges and universities
provoke accusations of inefficiency, even outright institutional greed
and irresponsibility. As the 1990s progress, surpluses in the academic
labor supply may give way to shortages in many fields, but will there be
enough new Ph.D.'s to go around?
Drawing on the authors' experience as economists and educators, this
book offers an accessible analysis of three crucial economic issues: the
growth and composition of undergraduate enrollments, the supply of
faculty in the academic labor market, and the cost of operating colleges
and universities. The study provides valuable insights for
administrators and scholars of education.