Five major issues are currently confronting community colleges. The first issue relates to the need for a new measure of institutional functioning based on curriculum content (which is poorly represented by traditional program labels such as transfer or occupational programs) and student intent (which is rarely reflected by either program labels or students' own course-taking patterns). The second issue is concerned with managing access to a community college education in light of the trend in state after state toward limiting enrollments. Community colleges will be forced to make clearer distinctions among the student groups they serve, tightening attendance criteria and mandating entrance and placement testing. The third issue is the matter of student flow in community colleges. Community colleges operate in a context of public expectations of linear progress from entry to degree attainment, yet this pattern is atypical of community college student flow. The fourth issue, maintaining a comprehensive curriculum, relates to the other three. From their inception, community colleges have offered baccalaureate studies, occupational programs, continuing education, general education, and remedial education. Current funding priorities place transfer and occupational education in primary positions, with remedial education following in terms of funding and support. The last major issue is the aging faculty and the problems of maintaining a qualified body of instructors to staff the colleges. (RO)