Every ecological, educational, or organizational system possesses a defining trait, one that affords competitive advantage. The Virginia system of higher education has consistently leaned on its institutional diversity to produce one of the most well-educated and productive bodies of learners in the nation. Given the national climate, a commitment to diverse missions and curricula may be difficult to promote and even more difficult to maintain. In this article, the author discusses Virginia's value added to a system that had traditionally equated higher education accountability with the notion of competence. Although value added may spark skepticism and ire from different parts of the academic spectrum, it remains an important measure of the strength of Virginia higher education.