Abstract
Analyzed are some of the political problems encountered in conducting evaluations in higher education. Liberal arts colleges have their own difficulties in which evaluation becomes entangled with survival of the organization. Universities have difficulty using evaluation results because of the diffuse nature of their decision-making. Underlying many problems is the fact that projects are used to promote careers and even moderate public statements about them can blemish the personal credentials necessary to career advancement. Within these constraints the evaluator is necessarily in conflict to the degree he discovers flaws. Finally, an operational university evaluation system which minimizes some of these problems is cited.