In November 1986, the Board of Governors of the University of North Carolina accepted a recommendation of its Task Force on the Preparation of Teachers. The Task Force called upon the president to conduct a study for the purpose of designing a rigorous Doctor of Education program as a first professional degree program for senior school administrators. The president appointed a committee to develop a new Doctor of Education program for North Carolina. This document presents a conversation providing insight into the new program. An interview was conducted with Dr. Donald J. Stedman, associate vice-president for academic affairs, the University of North Carolina, and staff assistant to the Doctor of Education committee. The topics of the discussion included: (1) curriculum issues; (2) reform proposals; (3) important features of the new program; (4) fellowships; (5) recruitment plans; (6) campus commitment; (7) faculty involvement; (8) administrator fears; (9) implementation stumbling blocks; and (10) the future of North Carolina's educational leadership program. (SI)