The theme of this journal issue is "Institutional Renewal." Projects designed to address the issues of the 1980s at 18 colleges are described, and 15 definitions of institutional renewal are presented. Participating colleges were provided expert advice through the Association of American College's (AAC) Project Lodestar (renamed Consultation and Advisory Services Project). The following college projects are described: implementing new general education requirements (University of Michigan-Flint); a 3-week mandatory nonremedial writing program (Bard College); attracting top liberal arts students (Pace University); restructuring college honors (University of Wyoming); making room for nontraditional liberal arts programs (University of Tennessee); evaluating general education (Allentown College of St. Francis de Sales); creating faculty review procedures (Appalachian State University); making changes (Augsburg College); strengthening the humanities (College of Mount Saint Vincent); planning departmental reviews (College of St. Catherine); new insights on established courses (Davidson College); faculty and microcomputers (Emmanuel College); faculty members as liberal learners (Ithaca College); building a core (Marymount College); liberal arts goals (Mater Dei College); maximizing the faculty and curriculum (Merrimack College); integrating computers and humanities (Seton Hall University); general education for professionals (Widener University). (SW)