The background papers for this meeting deal with the university's response to social turmoil in the United States, primarily in the areas of black enrollments and black studies. Todd Furniss discusses the issues motivating demands for black studies. In "Racial Pressures on Urban Institutions," Samuel Proctor describes the impatient mood of blacks, their frustrations with conventional university behavior, and the the challenges of "relevance." Lincoln Gordon writes of the difficulties of governance amid conflicting pressures. Thomas H. Eliot describes Washington University's response to demonstrations and demands. "Racial Considerations in Admissions" are documented and analyzed by Alexander Astin. David Brown discusses which investments of financial resources would be most productive in solving the racial crisis. How the university curriculum should respond to larger black enrollments is examined by Amitai Etzioni in a discussion of alternative kinds of academic programs. Finally, Harold Enarson outlines the university's opportunities to improve the quality of urban life in "Higher Education and Community Services." (JS)