Synopses of six conference presentations are provided in this pamphlet, dealing with the theme of leadership and professional standards in university settings and the influence of social and technological challenges. In "Leadership and Team Building: Key Ingredients to the Institutional Research Role of the Future," Robert L. Taylor challenges institutional researchers to play a greater leadership and team building role in their institutions. In "What Does the Future Hold for Institutional Research?," George Keller considers the twin pulls toward greater centralization and greater decentralization of information in higher education, and the issue of external change versus internal demands. "A Personal Retrospective on the Development of Institutional Research," by C. Robert Pace, describes lessons learned on understanding institutional goals, developing questionnaires, and associating institutional research too explicitly with administrative decision making. "A Fundamental Challenge for the Institutional Research Profession," by Frans A. van Vught argues that institutional research lacks a scientific base. "From the Past for the Future," by Gerald W. McLaughlin, examines the role of the Association for Institutional Research over its 30 year history. In "Quality in Higher Education--A Verb, Not a Noun," Lawrence A. Sherr outlines five ingredients of continuous process improvement: honesty, shared vision, patience, commitment, and a theory or plan. (JDD)