A 77 PERCENT RESPONSE TO A QUESTIONNAIRE SENT TO 312 PUBLIC COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENTS LED TO OBSERVATIONS WHICH INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING--(1) ALTHOUGH PRESIDENTS SPENT MOST OF THEIR TIME IN MATTERS OF STAFF, PUBLIC RELATIONS, FINANCES, AND STUDENTS, THEY PREFERRED TO WORK WITH STAFF, CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND STUDENTS. (2) PRESIDENTS BELIEVED THAT THE MOST NEGLECTED AREAS WERE ALUMNI, LEGISLATION, STUDENTS, AND PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES. (3) PRESIDENTS SAW THEMSELVES AS EDUCATIONAL LEADERS ON THE CAMPUS AND IN THE COMMUNITY. (4) PRESIDENTS BELIEVED THAT COMMUNITY COLLEGES SHOULD BE AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTIONS. MAJOR IMPLICATIONS WERE STATED IN THREE AREAS--(1) PRESIDENTS MUST BE PREPARED TO ADMINISTER AUTONOMOUS INSTITUTIONS AND TO INTERPRET THE COLLEGE ROLE TO LAY AND PROFESSIONAL GROUPS. (2) ADMINISTRATOR PREPARATION PROGRAMS SHOULD RECRUIT FROM VARIED SOURCES AND SHOULD BROADEN THE ADMINISTRATOR'S UNDERSTANDING OF EDUCATIONAL THEORY, SOCIOLOGY, AND TECHNOLOGY. (3) DEMOCRATIZATION OF HIGHER EDUCATION SHOULD BE A PRIMARY CONCERN OF THE COMMUNITY COLLEGE PRESIDENT. THIS ED.D. DISSERTATION IS AVAILABLE AS DOCUMENT NO. 62-4916, FOR $2.75 (MICROFILM) OR $9.45 (XEROGRAPHIC COPY) FROM UNIVERSITY MICROFILMS, INC., 313 NORTH FIRST STREET, ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN 48107. (WO)