Since the medieval university was established in Padua and Bologna, and throughout the development of the American research university, institutions of higher education have provided vital representations of culture, and perhaps more important, they have been instrumental in shaping culture and society. In recent years, however, the university has been criticized for a range of reasons, including rising tuition, declining standards, pursuing basic research that is too ethereal, or selling out to the demands and financial incentives of industry and government. Yet, the university is not “in ruins.” Indeed, society continues to look to the university for answers to the problems that intrigue us. As the new millennium approaches, universities have to rise to the challenges posed by the complex environment in which they thrive and strive.
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