This essay is based on a special Roundtable on Policy, Leadership, and Governance, convened in May 2007 by the National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education in conjunction with Theodore Hullar, Director of the former Education Division of Atlantic Philanthropies. The Roundtable was made possible with funding from Atlantic Philanthropies. The essay was written by Gregory R. Wegner. The following individuals participated in the roundtable and helped to shape the essay’s central themes:

Robert H. Atwell President Emeritus American Council on Education Lara K. Couturier Ph.D. Candidate, Brown University, History Department Higher Education Consultant Patrick M. Callan President National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education Kevin Carey Research and Policy Manager Education Sector Gordon K. Davies Higher Education Consultant Joni Finney Vice President National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education M.R.C. Greenwood Chancellor Emerita, UC Santa Cruz Chair, Graduate Group in Nutritional Biology Professor of Nutrition and Internal Medicine University of California, Davis Eurmon Hervey, Jr. Director of Postsecondary Education Office of the State Superindendent of Education Theodore L. Hullar Atlantic Philanthropies (USA), Inc. (2000–2006) Dennis P. Jones President National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) C. Judson King Director Center for Studies in Higher Education University of California, Berkeley Kay J. Kohl Executive Director and CEO University Continuing Education Association Paul E. Lingenfelter President State Higher Education Executive Officers Ann Marcus Director Steinhardt Institute for Higher Education Policy New York University Mario Martinez Associate Professor Higher Education Leadership University of Nevada, Las Vegas James T. Minor Assistant Professor College of Education Michigan State University Michael T. Nettles Senior Vice President and Edmund W. Gordon Chair of Policy Evaluation and Research Center Mikyung Ryu Senior Policy Analyst National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education Gregory R. Wegner Director of Program Development Great Lakes Colleges Association Jane V. Wellman Executive Director Delta Project on Postsecondary Costs