The public service role (PSR) of the University of Illinois and Parkland College in the black community of Champaign-Urbana was studied in a project funded under Title I of the Higher Education Act of 1965, channeled through the Illinois Board of Higher Education. As a pilot project, PSR explored current public service efforts by higher education in the local black community, efforts being made by community service offices of other Illinois institutions of higher education, and, most importantly, local black community perception of current and future activities in the community. The results were obtained by a series of three surveys and a conference of local black community residents and black personnel at the two institutions. Some major findings were that: (1) the black community has a low level of familiarity with existing public service efforts of the two educational institutions; (2) an information center would be utilized by black community residents; (3) community and education leaders should work together to develop programs to meet community needs; and (4) the institutions should accelerate affirmative action programs to increase the number of jobs and job training programs for black community residents. (LBH)