A consortium of higher education associations, headed by the American Council on Education, will start a national campaign this year that will attempt to focus the public's attention on the nation's 300 colleges and universities, with the goal of increasing financial support from state, federal and private sources. Stanley O. Ikenberry, who will be heading the campaign known as the Public Trust Initiative, says the group is hoping to find 10-15 corporate partners that would contribute a "significant portion" of the estimated $3-4 million a year needed to fund the three-year project. Ikenberry calls the consortium - which also includes the American Association of Community Colleges, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Campus Compact, College Board and several other organizations - the broadest coalition of higher education groups ever assembled.