Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The resource allocation decision in U.S. colleges and universities: Practice, problems and recommendations

  • Published:
Higher Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Two hundred vice presidents of finance of colleges and universities in the United States were questioned about the evaluation processes currently used by their institutions in making resource allocation decisions. It appears that institutions of higher education act in a manner consistent with the objective of prestige maximization subject to some overall budget constraint. There is a strong parallel with hospital budgeting.

The paper concludes with suggestions for improving allocation procedures particularly through the adoption of a more comprehensive and longer range approach to academic planning.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bailey, D. and Schotta, C., (1972). “Private and Social Rates of Return to Education of Academicians,” American Economic Review (March) 19–31.

  • Breneman, D. W., (1975). “The Ph.D. Production Process,” in Education as an Industry. New York: NBER

    Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, D. A. and Stager, A. A. (1972). “Economic Returns to Graduate Study in Science, Engineering and Business,” Canadian Journal of Economics 5, 2: 182–189.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fuller, S., (No date). “A System of Space Factors”. Albany, New York: New York Department of Education.

  • O'Donoghue, M., (1971). Economic Dimensions in Education. New York: Aldine-Atherton.

    Google Scholar 

  • Toder, E., (1974). “The Economics of Private Universities and Colleges: A Theory and Some Preliminary Evidence”. Cambridge, Mass.: Charles River Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wacht, R. F., (1972). “Toward Rationality in the Allocation of Hospital Resources,” Financial Management (Spring), 66–71.

  • Williams, J. D. and Rakich, J. S., (1973). “Investment Evaluation in Hospitals,” Financial Management (Summer), 30–35.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of New Mexico, New Mexico, USA

    R. Charles Moyer

  2. University of Houston, Houston, USA

    William J. Kretlow

Authors
  1. R. Charles Moyer
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. William J. Kretlow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Moyer, R.C., Kretlow, W.J. The resource allocation decision in U.S. colleges and universities: Practice, problems and recommendations. High Educ 7, 35–46 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00129789

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00129789

Keywords

Search

Navigation