The considerable progress achieved in the United States in expanding and improving research and instruction in foreign area studies programs has now become one of its major problems. In the past few years, administrators, foreign area specialists, American government, and private foundations, persuaded that all the problems have been solved, have failed to recognize that the hazards of the future are far more challenging than those already overcome. If the program is to advance, (1) the new goals must be identified, (2) ways of achieving them must be planned, and (3) such organizations as the American Council of Learned Societies must continue to function in making those concerned aware of current difficulties and opportunities, in assisting them in resolving organizational problems, and in creating meaningful standards for broadening the scope of the areas studied. (CW)