Repository: UIHistories Project: Booklet - State of University (1958) [PAGE 18]

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versities is the expectation for educational statesmanship in working for a prudent and wise utilisation of a state's resources, for leadership in planninj for maximum results from the expenditures of the state's educational dollai and energy.

DEFINING COORDINATION

While we may believe that state planning is inevitable and that .sound state planning will encourage a prudent use of the state's resources, AW(\ make for an orderly pattern of institutional relationships, we must also tak< note of the parallel public concern with the question of enforced coordination of the state universities and other institutions. The new interest in this subject arises from different sources, for different reasons: from some who have AW interest in making sure that state planning will be quickly effective; from others who have an interest only in limiting expenditures. A single board of control for the public institutions within a state is not a panacea, however. Experience with this mechanism is uneven among the states where it has been tried and at best it cannot deal adequately with the institutions outside its jurisdiction. Further, merely amalgamating boards of control or creating a "super board" does not automaticall) achieve the result desired among the institutions directly Concerned. In the more complex situations, particularly, there should also be carefully designed plans for integration of administration and o( program and agreement on general objectives. Without such integration, a super-board plan may but transfer present confusion from one arena to another. There are those who say that voluntary planning, without any new machinery, is enough. Unfortunately, the record on voluntary planning is not very ^ood. There are a few examples in the United States where such planning is apparently working. However, one institution moving in a competitive spirit and without regard for the welfare of the state as a whole an destTO) cooperative relationships. In such a situation, the main state university cannot adequately make its case or reply to covert criticism. because a public quarrel is AW inappropriate posture for a professionally responsible agenq. The machinery for state planning cannot be patterned on example, moreoxer. Examples are always illustrative, but they ^\o not prove. It is well to remember the limitations on comparisons. No two institutions can be compared, for they are unlike in tOO many ways. Nor can one state solve its roblema by imitating othei Institutions, like people, resemble owe another in man) ways, but in personality, nature, temperament, purposes, character, each is an individual *nd must be understood as AW individual States, too. must work out their l