Pros

Proponents of higher education accountability argue that it improves institutional performance. The impact accountability models have had on higher education include:

• Increased state support for higher education
• Greater attention to state priorities
• Incentives and rewards for meeting state goals and aligning institutional priorities with those of the legislature.

Cons

Critics of accountability models in higher education raise the following concerns:

• New performance reporting requirements may come with unfunded mandates
• Identification of measures may be difficult or expensive to obtain
• Short phase-in periods for implementation
• Infringement on institutional autonomy
• Programs may subject postsecondary education to the whims of politicians
• Performance indicators may not account for the various types of institutions in a state - community colleges, highly competitive research universities and smaller liberal arts institutions - in a way that is both fair and tailored to their diverse students bodies and institutional goals.

(Source: SHEEO State Survey on Performance Measures, 1997)