| An important problem higher education administrators are faced with today is how to create policies and programs that promote excellence which also effectively address equal opportunity. This study provides an assessment of the impacts of laws and policy on access to higher education. The purpose is to provide information that can assist in the development of future policies.; To accomplish the purpose a retrospective public policy methodology was selected. Policy monitoring and evaluation tools were applied to the 137 documents identified from a search of legal, educational, and general databases. 27 generalizations were produced. These generalizations served as the basis for the analysis. In relation to the research objectives the findings include: (1) The courts use "strict scrutiny" and accept only a "narrowly tailored" use of racial classifications even if the use of racial classifications methods have the results of extending opportunities. Conversely, neutral methods which have the result of perpetuating segregated institutions, are rejected by the courts. The Supreme Courts lack of direct rulings have made interpretation difficult for educational administrators. (2) Educational access has an effect on our nations economy but access alone cannot change the nations equity issues. Individually, resources and family background have an important effect on access to opportunity and level of institution attended. Financial aid has been an important program to increasing equal opportunity, however, the federal government is less able to meet the current educational demand. (3) There is no agreement on what constitutes educational excellence. The most commonly used interpretation involves individual test scores and ranking. With no clear definition of excellence, a relationship between educational opportunity and excellence is not possible.; These findings suggest a reformation of the original problem that would address the rights of an individual to fair competition for higher education opportunities, and the responsibility of government to extend public higher educational education opportunity to all citizens. Included in the recommendations is the need to define what excellence in public higher education is, and how public higher education furthers the interests of society. |
