Faculty members employed at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) should give priority to teaching and learning. The work of faculty members at such institutions is a way to reclaim individuals who have been discarded by society. Mission statements should be reviewed to be sure that college printed materials do indeed reflect these goals. Faculty should change the way they think--about themselves, their institutions, and their performance. Suggestions are made as to how to recognize and encourage faculty effort through staff support, workshops, development opportunities, and salary increases. The paper also reports briefly on a teacher action research project that asked whether the perceived disparity between student and teacher expectations affected student success. One of the projects was about the teachers involved in the study became more committed to good teaching and learning and that they carried that commitment to subsequent classes. (CH)