Results of an online survey of a broad variety of geoscience departments at Canadian and U.S. colleges and universities have indicated a striking degree of common perspective across institution types. In the survey, which was sent to 900 institutions and completed by 364 respondents (for a response rate of nearly 40%), respondents noted that three of the most important measures of a successful department were effective curricula; recruitment of students, staff, and faculty; and building partnerships within and outside of their institutions.