Two trends will impact the academic labor force through the rest of this century: approximately half of the existing professorial positions are held by persons within 15 years of retirement, and demographic projections are that by the year 2000, ethnic minority groups will constitute 30% of the national population. Underrepresented minority students may not be able to take full advantage of this favorable climate due to their continuing underrepresentation among annual Ph.D. recipients. Between 1980 and 1984, overall minority school enrollment declined 8.5%. In 1984, underrepresented minority students received only 5.5% of the Ph.D.'s awarded and were concentrated in education, social sciences, humanities and life sciences. If this situation is to be rectified, universities with degree-granting programs must play a large role in the identification, enrollment and preparation of minority graduate students. Seven steps for improving identification of minority graduate students are presented, including the increased involvement of minority undergraduates in university activities and the development of recruitment activities and materials targeted to minority students. Four steps for improving minority student admission procedures are presented, including the inclusion of minorities on the admissions committee and increased use of assistantships. Four steps are presented for increasing minority participation in academic life and thus enhancing their desire to choose college/university teaching as a career. These include more involvement with faculty members and in departmental activities and providing more opportunities for teaching/research assistantships and for presentation and publication of the work of minority students. The necessity for recruiting and developing minority faculty is also discussed. (KM)