"In the Ontario Budget 2004, the government said that in order to build a high-skill, high-wage economy, Ontario requires higher learning that is second to none. To assist in reaching that goal, the Postsecondary Review was announced." The Postsecondary Review is chaired by Bob Rae, former premier of the Province of Ontario. The Review is to provide recommendations on the design of a publicly-funded system of postsecondary education, on model(s) for funding that system, and on an accountability and performance measurement framework that supports the design and funding recommendations. In September 2004, the Review released a Discussion Paper. The Discussion Paper is organized into six themes: the importance of higher education, accessibility, quality, system design, funding, and accountability. Bob Rae, in his message accompanying the Discussion Paper, asks: "Please share your own research and views--this is an essential part of making reasoned recommendations." This essay responds to that request. It builds upon my own research and draws heavily upon a book manuscript: "Universities, Ideas and Democracy." The Discussion Paper recognizes that Ontario's system of postsecondary education has two distinct components: universities and colleges of applied arts and technology. However, there is almost no analysis of their separate missions; virtually all of the discussion deals with higher education as an undifferentiated whole. This essay separates the two components and addresses the mission of the university. Any design for a system of postsecondary education in Ontario must be based upon a clear articulation of the mission of the university (and of course, also upon a clear articulation of the mission of the colleges). Furthermore, it is only with a clear articulation of mission that an appropriate accountability framework can be established for universities. It is hoped, therefore, that this essay can contribute to deliberations about system design and accountability. (Contains 50 endnotes.)