This book presents papers, originally given as part of a seminar series in 1988 and 1990, that address issues in higher education and its role in U.S. society. In addition to the papers, two articles that were used as the basis for discussion at the 1990 seminar are also presented. One article was the speech given by William J. Bennett, then Secretary of Education, at the 350th Anniversary of Harvard University in which he attributes the loss of public confidence in the endeavor to an inattention by educators to the legitimacy of dialogue about the outcomes of higher education. The second article is by Arnold R. Weber and is titled, "Higher Education, Public Concerns, and Institutional Angst." The papers presented at the seminar and their authors are as follows: "Why Are People Beating Up on Higher Education?" (Chester E. Finn, Jr.); "Rethinking What It Means to be a Scholar" (R. Eugene Rice); "The Economics of Cost, Price, and Quality in U.S. Higher Education" (Michael S. McPherson and Gordon C. Winston); "Quality and Access in Higher Education: The Impossible Dream?" (Arthur M. Hauptman); "The Evolution of Access Policy: 1965-1990" (Judith S. Eaton); "Is the Goal of College Access Being Met?" (Arthur M. Hauptman and Maureen A. McLaughlin). (GLR)