The efforts of student affairs aimed at improving quality of life, integrating new student groups, and attracting and retaining students are becoming critical to colleges and universities. Student affairs organizations can respond to the changing conditions and take a leadership role in new institutional strategies; they can become "integrators" of goals within the institutions, building stronger bridges to the academic and administrative communities. Student affairs professionals must possess a wider repertoire of skills, adding general management and planning skills to traditional human relations skills. This widened role has implications for the preparation of continuing professional education of individuals in the profession, and graduate programs must adapt to changing needs. (LB)