The financing of non-university post-secondary institutions in British Columbia : the case of the colleges

The present study was undertaken with three major objectives, namely: 1. to determine the revenue distribution criteria employed by the B.C. Ministry of Education in allocating operational funds to the colleges; 2. to ascertain the types of, and extent of government controls over college operational funds; and 3. to determine the adequacy of the revenue distribution criteria and government controls over college operational funds. The study was carried out in three main phases. The first phase involved analysis of financial records of the participating colleges for the period 1972-1976 to determine variations in sources and size of operational funds to individual colleges. Using these data, interviews were held with Ministry of Education officials responsible for distributing college operational funds to determine the method used for allocating funds to each college and government controls over these funds. The final phase consisted of interviews with Ministry officials and principals of selected colleges to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the present system used for distributing operational funds. Participants were also asked what the limitations of government controls over college funds are, and what changes they would like to see take place. Analysis of the data indicated that the Ministry of Education did not employ any specifically defined criteria for determining the level of operational funds that went to each college; priority was; given, however, to such factors as approved new programmes, new facilities, prior year's commitments, and approved areas of growth. It was also found that the Ministry of Education exercised formal controls through legislation and regulation and informal controls through budget allocation decisions and through influence over several areas of college operational funds. Further, it was found that the majority of respondents were generally satisfied with the existing method used by the Ministry of Education for distributing college operational funds; minor changes were suggested which would improve the method. With respect to government controls over operational funds, concern was expressed for the lack of discretionary power of college principals in the internal allocation (and reallocation) of funds.Education, Faculty ofEducational Studies (EDST), Department ofGraduat