The Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities released "Returning to Our Roots: The Student Experience," which found "a critical need to reform undergraduate education" and to "focus on universities as genuine learning communities" that put students first. As chair of the Kellogg Commission, the author embraced that imperative and has worked to promote the notion of student-centeredness in higher education. Now, higher education leaders are faced with rising costs of operations, a changing competitive landscape, shifting demographics, reductions in state appropriations, increased pressures for accountability, and a widespread economic downturn. Though faced with rising costs in operations, shifting demographics, competing demands, and an ever-widening communication gap between generations, the author reminds college and university leaders that students are higher education's most precious resource. The author discusses how to better connect with today's students and describes ways on how to create a student-centered university. (Contains 14 notes.)