This article presents a scenario in which the dean of the faculty of a fictional college discusses the issue of critical thinking (CT) with other school officials, using their insights into its nature and roots to prepare a course of action to present to the board of trustees. She learns that college graduates need to have strong CT skills--reflective decision-making and thoughtful problem-solving about what to believe and do--to function effectively in today's society. She also discovers what dispositions encourage CT, what kinds of faculty are most effective in teaching CT, how CT can be taught, how CT can be measured, what norms can be used for measurement, the appropriate context for teaching CT, and some findings about CT from the field of cognitive science.