I just had an epiphany (or a moment of Duh! depending on perspective)
I've been thinking of the University as a Really Big School with bajillions of faculty and students who are mostly interested in maintaining the status quo (or in not taking risks, which has the same effect).
What if, instead, I ignore the status quo and think of the University as a small school, full of a small group of faculty and students who want to work together to try something new?
Seems much less paralyzing when framed that way...