The great American university [electronic resource] : its rise to preeminence, its indispensable national role, and why it must be protected / Jonathan R. Cole.

The rise to preeminence. The idea of a university ; Coming of age in tumultuous times ; The path to greatness ; Building steeples of excellence ; In search of a golden age ; Growing pains
Discoveries that alter our lives. Finding a smoother pebble : a national system of innovation ; It began with a fly : genetics, genomics, and medical research ; buckyballs, bar codes, and GPS : our origins, our planet, our security and safety ; Nosce te ipsum : culture, society, and values
Facing challenges and looking forward. Academic freedom and free inquiry ; The enemy is us ; "Political" science ; Trouble in paradise?
Appendix . Top-ranked American research universities
Appendix B. An online source of information about university discoveries.