A variety of organizational, curricular and philosophical features of the system of higher education in the United States distinguish it from higher education systems in the world, but the system's size, egalitarianism, diversity and comprehensiveness are the most notable and significant of these distinguishing features. The system of higher education in the United States is also conspicuously diverse and decentralized. This book describes both the diversity and the standardization that coexist in the higher education system. It generalizes cautiously where standardization is both apparent and predominant. The book also points out that new programs are developed continuously to meet emerging societal needs, such as those in energy and the environment, as well as to meet the needs and interests of new clientele : the elderly, middle-age women attempting to reenter the job market, and the educationally disadvantaged seeking basic skill development.