I'd like to teach myself Mandarin - to speak, read, and write.  I do
not want to learn tourist phrases, and I am not looking for a quick
fix; I'm willing to work at it.  A lot of software I've seen in a few
stores advertises how quickly you'll learn it...I want to build a
foundation and learn it as a University student would - from the
ground up.

I have not yet researched any materials yet.  What should I get?  Are
there any "learn Mandarin" kits that include software and maybe
workbooks or written assignments for example?  Should I create my own
kit using books, software, cds, etc?  Thanks!

Ni hao! I recommend Liwin's Cyberchinese and the accompanying textbook
(_The Practical Chinese Reader_). We used these in my Introductory
Chinese class.

http://www.liwin.com/cyberchinese/