Higher Education today faces not only perennial challenges but also a set of profound changes, including: pursuing a school’s stated mission in a market environment; serving a student population that is increasingly diverse with respect to age, ethnicity, and educational goals; finding ways to assess educational outcomes; and making the best use of distance learning and other new technologies. These emerging challenges represent threats to some institutions, and opportunities to others.

The purpose of the Study of Good Work in Higher Education is to (1) illuminate the nature of good work in undergraduate education under present conditions, and then (2) build upon our findings to construct and distribute a curriculum for institutional reflection and development.

• In phase one of the study (1999-2002), we interviewed 88 key administrators, faculty, and trustees at 10 institutions nominated as outstanding providers of undergraduate education. The schools include four-year liberal arts colleges, historically black colleges, community colleges, teaching-oriented research universities, and a for-profit university. Interviews explored the institutions’ strengths and missions, the opportunities and pressures that they face, the ways that they are responding to these forces, and the goals and commitments of those responsible for the institutions’ exemplary work.

• In phase two (2003-2006), we returned to the same schools to collect data about students’ expectations, goals, and experiences. At present, we are undertaking a dissemination phase to share the results of the study of good work with interested institutions and individuals in higher education.