Many important institutional policy and practice issues related to public service in universities are discussed, including: (1) mission statements and definitions (formal mission statements and broad and narrow definitions); (2) organizational structures (centralization and decentralization); (3) leadership (line officer, staff officer, and other approaches); (4) personnel policies (professional service as a responsibility of all faculty members and as a responsibility of some members); and (5) resources (the paid service approach and the free service approach). For each issue area the fundamental choices experienced by universities are delineated and theoretically examined with the intention of providing the beginnings of a conceptual framework for the examination of public service in higher education. A research agenda suggests examining such things as the extent to which institutions emphasize professional service, whether leadership structures make a difference, and whether universities have shifted too far in the direction of paid service. A survey of 147 presidents of the member institutions of the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges (NASULGC) (74% response rate) was undertaken to identify prevailing patterns and practices for the organization and delivery of public service in NASULGC institutions, and to find the "best" practices. Among the findings were that: 100 respondents agreed with the stated definitions and assumptions about public service, 99 of them considered public/professional service a high priority mission and function of their institution, and 30 felt their university places greater emphasis on university/corporate relations and economic development. Contains 12 references. (SM)