Book excerpt: As long as there have been U. S. colleges and universities, there have been entry courses that pose difficulties for students – courses that have served more as weeding-out rather than gearing-up experiences for undergraduates. This volume makes the case that the weed-out dynamic is no longer acceptable – if it ever was. Contemporary postsecondary education is characterized by vastly expanded access for historically underserved populations of students, and this new level of access is coupled withincreased scrutiny of retention and graduation outcomes. Chapters in this volume define and explore issues in gateway courses and provide various examples of how to improve teaching, learning and outcomes in these foundational components of the undergraduateexperience. This is the 180th volume of the Jossey-Bass quarterly report series New Directions for Higher Education. Addressed to presidents, vice presidents, deans, and other higher education decision makers on all kinds of campuses, it provides timely information and authoritative advice about major issues and administrative problems confronting every institution.