At present, there is no national consensus in the US on the learning outcomes appropriate to associate, baccalaureate, and master's degrees. Such a consensus could serve many purposes, but one of the most important would be its potential positive impact on the learning process. Gaston has written on the Bologna Process and was one of the consultants to the Lumina Foundation's draft degree qualifications profile, titled "A Transformational Challenge for U.S. Higher Education." In his talk, he focuses on the advantages US students would enjoy as a result of more clearly defined expectations at each degree level. He also suggests ways in which such expectations might enhance the process of institutional accreditation.

Paul L. Gaston, III, serves Kent State University (Ohio) as its sole Trustees Professor. This appointment recognizes both his service as provost from 1999 to 2007 and the breadth of his commitment to interdisciplinary teaching and research in higher education, public policy, and the humanities. He has worked with many professional associations, including the Council on Higher Education Accreditation and the Association of American Colleges and Universities, and is a frequent invited speaker. Gaston is the author of five books and more than 50 scholarly articles on subjects ranging from poetry and fiction to academic planning, the Higher Education Opportunity Act, general education, and assess-ment of educa-tional outcomes. His most recent book is The Challenge of Bologna: What U.S. Higher Education Has to Learn from Europe and Why It Matters That We Learn I (Stylus, 2010). He was one of four chief contributors to the Lumina-funded project to define a Bologna-style "Degree Qualifications Framework." Beyond the academy, Gaston provides cultural commentary for NPR.

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