A higher education faculty member compares the role of the teacher in small liberal arts colleges and large public universities through analysis of his experiences at both types of institution. The paper specifically focuses on how institutional size and mission affects the role of the teacher. Discussion of the differences between the large research university and small liberal arts college environments considers effects of institution size, institutional focus and ownership. The institutions compared were the University of Cincinnati (Ohio) with 36,000 students and Ohio Dominican College (ODC) with 1,200 students. At the smaller school departmental discussion and decision making was easier, the college community was more cohesive, ethical concerns received more attention, and administration was more accessible. The smaller institution also encouraged a greater general awareness of the institution's mission statement and an application of that mission to curricular continuity. A greater sense of institutional ownership by faculty was also found at the smaller school, with teachers in the large university more likely to feel like academic sub-contractors versus the small college teachers' sense of being all-around role models and essential parts of the institution. (JB)