Higher Education Home Economics Programs In A Changing Economic Environment

This study investigates funding trends in college/university home economics pro grams during 1975–80 based on survey data from 138 heads of home economics units. Home economics faculty salaries did not keep up with inflation and avail ability of resources to higher education during the period studied; however, this was true for faculty members in general from all disciplines. Although this study is largely descriptive, an exploratory stepwise multiple regression analysis iden tifies characteristics of programs which fared better in terms of budgetary expan sion in comparison to group norms. Home economics undergraduate degrees granted was the only variable significantly related (p < 0.01) to growth in faculty salary allocations. Although growth in overall university allocations was the only significant predictor (p < 0.01) for growth in the maintenance, operations, and equipment budget category, two other variables‐undergraduate degrees granted and percentage of faculty tenured‐were closely enough related to be considered in future research. 1986 American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences