In this paper, originally delivered as the 2004 ASHE presidential address, the author relates four streams of his research to the increasingly stratified system of U.S. higher education. He traces the effects of academic capitalism and the new economy, identifies the rise of managerial professionals as a Mode III form of production, discusses the collective organizing efforts of "core contingent" faculty, and explores the education outreach efforts of some managerial professionals. The conclusions advocate social entrepreneurial initiatives that enhance access and social justice in higher education.