universities were either caught in the backwash or vided a standard of living for American workers =
subsequently included by specific Congressional or unequaled elsewhere in the world." A
regulatory action. . It has also been pointed out by some observers that
In 1974, with the passage of the Buckley Amend- colleges and universities were not as assertive as they ,
ment to the Family Rights and Privacy Act, a new might have been in providing access to disadvantaged I
stage of regulation began which was aimed directly at students and assuring equal rights to minorities and g
postsecondary education. The Buckley Amendment women. Most of the progress made in these areas was
granted students access to their educational records, the result of federal funding and federal regulation. i
limited access by others (including parents), and Says one government official, formerly a college _}
required institutions to inform all members of the president: “Unjustified discrimination in hiring and  
campus community of their rights and obligations admission, exaggerationrof performance claims for ,  
under the act. the sake of institutional development, defensive fail-  
After Buckley came a new version of the Health ure of accountability in return for social privilege, and  
Professions Educational Assistance Amendments other social sins mark and mar the history of Ameri-  
which attempted to coerce U.S. medical schools into can higher education. Nor has the record of voluntary F
admitting students from a register established by the self-regulation been much more distinguished in high- yi  
Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. Then er education than elsewhere."   i
came regulations implementing Section 504 of the Could higher education have avoided government    
Rehabilitation Act _of l973, requiring institutions to regulation if it had been more vigorous in regulating    
make changes in their physical facilities in order to itself? Perhaps in some limited areas, replies one col- {  
accommodate the handicapped. lege official. But he adds, "I don’t think we would  
The Education Amendment Act of 1976 struckta have taken major steps at our institution, for exam- ,   "W
blow for consumer protection in education. It re- ple, to accommodate the handicapped. The cost “ l
quires colleges and universities to make known their would have been too high, the available dollars too L  
policies and practices in numerous areas such as few, and the number who would benefit too mini-   gl
financial aid, refunds, and descriptions of facilities, mal." i  
faculties, and educational programs. Institutions may G. William Miller, chairman of the Federal Re-  
have their various written and spoken statements serve Board, says: "Generational regulation iis funda— Q,
assessed by the government according to “truth in mental to any system. It is designed to regulate E
advertising" standards. ln other words, if the old human behavior and to set certain necessary stan- g
college catalog still promises to "educate the whole dards. Without regulations, the free enterprise system  
person," the institution had better be prepared to would not move on its own to correct social inequal-   "
prove it—to a federal agency or maybe in court. ities. Self-regulation is our greatest desire, but can it i
In short, there is virtually no, aspect of academic be tlbne? It is almost impossible because of human  
life that is not covered in some way by federal behavior and human nature. The need is for good   `
regulations. They cover hiring/promotion/firing of regulations and we must work to make necessary " ii
personnel (including professors), wage and salary regulations as sensible and workable as possible." J  
administration, pensions and personnel benefits,  
physical plani cimstmctimi ami managcmenh record- etermining which regulations are "absolutely
keeping, admission, financial aid, athletics, fund-rals- ,, d k. them asensible and
ing, research, and even curriculum and educational necessary:. an ma mg -
dc me. workable- are. extremely difficult tasks.
programs to Some g There is no evidence at present that they I
can or will be accomplished. Joseph A. Califano, Jr., '_
HE issue OF government regulation poses a Secretary of H.E.w., recently issued a warning {
painful dilemma for much of higher educa- "against the domination of education by the federal i
tion. On the one hand, educators recognize government." And he said: "If I have seen anything
the need for regulations; on the other, they made plain in the last year and a half, it is that when
are appalled and alarmed by their growth and impact =
on the campuses.   Q
The academic community traditionally liberal- has "Th ' ' ' ' i
, , ’ * CTC lS L11'llVCI`S21i I`€COgIll[l()I] OH ;
favored laws extending rights and benefits and has · , — — .
supported regulations to protect consumers, assure the {muon S Campuses Oi the need {Or   J? 
equal opportunity and treatment, and safeguard envi- i2lWS 3.HCi f€gl1i2lIi()IlS to pI`Oi€C[ [il€    
ronment. As William McGill, president of Columbia rights Oi all Americans and assure  
University, puts it: No experienced president would . ,, “
think of criticizing a process that has liberated Ameri- equal Oppmitumty tO  
ca’s minorities, protected our consumers, and pro-  
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