A prevailing notion among higher education leaders is that public relations and marketing efforts must be intensified to boost legislative support for colleges and universities. However, this view fails to consider whether the academy might increase its standing among legislators and the general public by becoming more productively engaged in state problems. By embracing the principles of public engagement, universities could position themselves as solutions to problems and leverage public and private support for research, teaching, and service in relation to public interests. (Contains 1 figure, 1 table, and 16 notes.)