Presented is a National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored report on a study of the university role in continuing basic research in the United States. The study, designed to provide a basis for future governmental policy formation, examined the critical question: How can the intellectual power and social benefits of the research enterprise in the nation's universities be preserved? The study grew from the apparent paradox that while university enrollment and research funding have declined sharply, there is no shortage of scientists and scientific advancement appears to be continuing unimpaired from the levels of the 1950's and 1960's when basic research was highly funded. The report resolves the apparent paradox in revealing that there is a lag of several years between initiation of experiments and disclosure of findings. Thus, current success in scientific research appears to be the fruit of the support provided years earlier. If continued success is to be maintained years in the future, total support of the sciences and research must be maintained today. (SL)