The benefits of going to college and the importance of higher education institutions were once held to be a creed as American as apple pie. But recurring state budget challenges have constrained investment. Consistently rising tuitions--fueled by increasing college costs--have alarmed many. Politics and free-speech controversies have raised questions about college and universities' openness and balance of perspectives. In short, times have changed. A New England Board of Higher Education (NEBHE) panel discussion on "The Changing Public Perceptions of the Value of Higher Education: Is It a Public Good?," examined the waning public confidence in higher education.