This report discusses the obligation of colleges and universities to assume societal leadership embracing the challenges confronting American pluralism in order to deepen public awareness of America's history of diversity. An introductory chapter focuses on campus leadership in this field. Chapter 1 depicts higher education as a meeting ground for American pluralism, a subject to be debated during study-dialogues. Chapter 2 focuses on the connection between democracy and diversity and the tensions this creates within the context of pervasive issues of difference and inclusion. Chapter 3 looks at democracy and American pluralism with subsections on democracy as historical force, as political process, as universal aspiration, and as communal connections. Chapter 4 examines America's past failures with reference to the inequality inherent in diversity, particularly racial differences. Chapter 5 discusses the existence of borders existing in any community encompassing two or more cultures, races, or classes. It is concluded that higher education has a double obligation to create new opportunities, termed "American Commitments Community Seminars" for public and campus learning about the United States as a diverse democracy; and to commit its institutions to making campuses inclusive educational environments. (Contains 33 references.) (CK)