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This chapter presents the broad range of social science evidence on the benefits of diversity in higher education in order to illuminate a central issue that is often missed in the debate over affirmative action-that supporting diversity in colleges and universities is not only a matter of social justice but also a matter of promoting educational excellence. I start by examining the mission of an institution of higher education. The mission of an institution of higher education tells us what a college or university is about, what it values, what it holds to be true. Educational policies, programs, and practices emerge from the mission of the institution (Kuh et al. 1991). Few would disagree with the assertion that institutions of higher education have a unique responsibility to develop in students the knowledge, skills, and competencies they need to be active members of society. ¹ As inhabitants of an increasingly diverse country that is inextricably connected to a larger" global" community, we must reconsider what it now means to be an active and productive member of society. As colleges and universities have recognized and responded to these trends, their mission statements have undergone a process of dramatic transformation. Increasingly, institutional mission statements at colleges and universities across the country affirm the role