Total Quality (TQ), is a customer-oriented philosophy of management that utilizes total employee involvement in the relentless, daily search for improvement of product and service quality, through the use of statistical methods, employee teams, and performance management. In the TQ framework, "internal" customers are individuals within the institution, such as an instructor from upper division courses who receives the "products" (students) of a lower division instructor, while "external" customers include students, organizations which hire students, and organizations which send employees to attend classes at the college. TQ utilizes a systems approach comprised of suppliers (secondary schools), inputs (entering students), value added (the educational experience), output (productive citizenry), and customers (satisfied graduates). Employee and student behavior is seen as part of a system, with emphasis placed on continuous improvement of inputs to the system. TQ requires continuous inspection and improvement of processes, and reduction in variation in the generic inputs of processes. Using statistical concepts, leaders must analyze variation and reduce variation in inputs of processes. For example, to reduce variation in materials (as an "input"), an institution can purchase from first rate suppliers on a partnership long-term basis. Finally, TQ redefines a leader as a resource person, facilitator, or team leader, and views teachers as coaches or helpers. Students learn to be intrinsically motivated to enhance their natural curiosity, self-esteem, and personal dignity. (PAA)