In the wake of nearly 2 decades of reform in college liberal and general education, this report proposes 12 principles to help institutions sustain the gains that have been made. Each chapter presents one of the principles with detailed explanation that draws on the literature, theory, and actual examples. Part I presents the first six principles which are posed as the characteristics of a strong general education program. Strong general education programs: (1) explicitly answer the question, "What is the point of general education?"; (2) embody the institutional mission; (3) continuously strive for educational coherence; (4) are self-consciously value-based and teach social responsibility; (5) attend carefully to student experience; and (6) are consciously designed to continue to evolve. Part II presents the remaining six principles that focus on community characteristics of strong general education programs. Strong general education programs: (7) require and foster academic community; (8) have strong faculty and administrative leadership; (9) cultivate substantial and enduring support from multiple constituencies; (10) ensure continuing support for faculty as they engage in dialogues across specialties; (11) reach beyond the classroom to the broad range of student co-curricular experiences; and (12) assess and monitor progress to an evolving vision through ongoing self-reflection. Conclusions are followed by appendixes describing a few state higher education systems and particular institutions. (Contains 44 references.)