The lingering economic downturn has affected virtually every American institution--perhaps none more significantly than the nation's higher education system. These days, facing significant revenue shortfalls that are widely recognized as the "new normal," state-supported colleges and universities are looking, sometimes desperately, for answers. Staff at Lumina Foundation believe that that higher education must play a key role in fueling the recovery and ensuring long-term economic stability. In short, this nation needs millions more citizens with high-quality, relevant postsecondary degrees and credentials. The question is: How can the nation meet this growing demand in a time of shrinking resources? In short, how can the higher-ed system become more efficient, effective and productive? This issue of "Lumina Foundation Focus" tackles that question head on. It takes an in-depth look at the productivity push in higher education--the growing effort under way on campuses throughout the nation to provide many more students with a quality education but without increasing costs.