Hank Brown.

• Position: FOR THE RECORD - Interview

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As a former Colorado senator, U.S. representative, U.S. senator and university president, Hank Brown's knowledge of and experience in higher education is notable. The ex-Navy aviator's leadership skills emerged early, as student body president of the University of Colorado, where he later served as president. Before that he was president and CEO of a large philanthropic fund and president of the University of Northern Colorado. He holds a bachelor's degree in accounting, a juris doctorate degree from the University of Colorado Law School, and a master of law degree from George Washington University. Currently, he is senior legal counsel at a Denver law firm.

STATE LEGISLATURES: With your experiences and broad perspective on national issues, how do you think things are going?

HANK BROWN: Our country is going through a cycle that every great and prosperous country has faced: reaching maturity. We face the dangers of prosperity. It's a dichotomy perhaps. The real question is whether we can pull our boot straps up and come back and compete as we once did. I think we can. I think Americans can recapture our vigor and our energy and our commitment. That's the challenge for the next decade.

SL: What role should higher education play in our democracy?

BROWN: From Thomas Jefferson forward, Americans have realized that education is key to maintaining a democratic, representative government. It's essential for our way of life and the way we want to organize society.

SL: Should it be a goal that everyone receives a college education?

BROWN: Americans believe that everybody ought to have an opportunity. A chance. That's why, from community colleges to research universities, there is funding assistance from states and the federal government. That is the opportunity. It doesn't mean everybody goes, but it does mean everybody has a chance to go.

SL: What is needed for the United States to regain its competitive edge in our global society?

BROWN: We have a lot of challenges as a country, and it is very clear Americans don't want to be in second place. We want to be in first place, and a lot of that relates to our productivity and competitiveness as a nation. Higher education is part of that. Part of it deals with making sure we have high standards. Part of it involves rewarding hard work. Part of it means we've got to be more efficient because of the shortage of funding. Part of it involves a reorganization of our federal government...