A retrospective look is taken at the internal workings of a reform of university governance in the Netherlands, including a description of the relations between the various actors involved. It was found that a state of equilibrium has not yet been reached, but the most acute stages of the transition have passed. Then a broader look is taken at certain structural characteristics of Dutch higher education whose weaknesses have generated proposals for reform. The conclusion reached is that the accommodative elitism of the professional oligarchy has shown itself unable to anticipate and cope with the movement toward greater participation in university governance. In the future, the university sector will be more aware of policy issues, but the question is whether it will react defensively or in a way that convinces a broad audience that it has society's interests at heart. (Author/MSE)