It is proposed that there are three common misconceptions and criticisms held by the general public concerning Canadian universities: (1) the view that universities are hotbeds of radicalism, alcoholism, and sexism, (2) that there is a decline in the quality of work produced by universities and in their academic standards, and (3) that universities lack responsiveness to Canada's needs for economic growth and international competitiveness. Alcoholism and sexism are acknowledged as problems but the processes designed to solve them are already well underway, some of which include alcohol awareness programs; peer counseling; creating equal opportunities for advancement within some colleges; and development of various enlightened policies on sexual harassment. The decline in quality can be seen as a result of declining financial support from benefactors, both institutional and personal. Universities have made remarkable adjustments, however, in order to respond to this financial vacuum even while enrollment is increasing. Evidence has shown that greater selectivity of incoming freshmen along with aggressive resource management and program development has produced students of equal calibre to the rest of the world in numerous areas of academic importance. Many of these areas address Canada's needs economically, socially, and in international competitiveness. (GLR)