What particular form of liberal education should a college or university institute? Reform in general liberal education is an inevitable reality for faculty and the administration. Core texts are at the heart of that reform debate. Establishing an institution's core texts requires extensive research and discussion. At the 2002 Association for Core Texts and Courses conference over 100 institutions explored the relevance and role of the core texts to a 21st century education. This collection of essays captures the excitement of this debate and allows serious thinkers and practitioners of liberal arts education to see what other colleagues and institutions are developing.

Contributions by: Charles Hamaker, Frances M. Sweeney, Don Buerke, Mary Catherine Harper, Ann Kirkland, Joy Castro, Leo Groarke, Rowland Smith, James F. Walter, J. Scott Lee, Peggy Pittas, Kathy Eden, Ariela Freedman, Cynthia Ho, Mary Catherine Fox, Roger M. Barrus, Charlie Sullivan, Jay Lutz, Brennan O'Donnell, George R. Lucas, Anne Levitt, Howard Fisher, James Gilbert-Walsh, David Neidorf, Clifford Orwin, David Southward, Katharine Streip, Joan Faust