Welcome to the Postsecondary Governance Structures Database

Developed in partnership with the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) and the State Higher Education Executive Officers (SHEEO)

Why this issue matters

• State postsecondary governance structures are critical to how state postsecondary policy is implemented and funding appropriated.
• Accountability in postsecondary education is a function of postsecondary governance.
• Issues of institutional autonomy and state control are often defined through the state governance structure. 
• Governance can determine the extent that postsecondary education achieves statewide goals.

How the database was developed

• The database is a revision of the Postsecondary Structures Sourcebook that was drafted in 1997, revised in 2000 and newly revised in 2007.
• The project is a partnership of the National Center for Higher Education Systems, State Higher Education Executive Officers and the Education Commission of the States.
• The database was revised through a grant from the Ford Foundation.

Related information and resources

• Policy briefs on postsecondary governance
• ECS issue site on postsecondary accountability
• SHEEO listing of state higher education planning documents

Contacts:
Bruce Vandal
Director, ECS Postsecondary Education
and Workforce Development Institute
303.299.3611
bvandal@ecs.org

Aims McGuinness
senior associate
National Center for Higher Education Management Systems
303.497.0350
aims@nchems.org

Hans L’Orange
vice president for Research and Information Resources
303.541.1606
hlorange@sheeo.org

State-Level Coordinating and/or Governing Agency System/Institutional Governing Boards State Student Assistance and Loan Agencies Postsecondary Vocational-Technical Education State-Level Organization of Independent (Not for Profit) Colleges and Universities Licensure/Approval Agencies Statutory Advisory Committee Additional Information