A selection of essays deals with current issues in American higher education, offering a variety of views. Essays include an overview of contemporary higher education, and discussions of: changes in typical college curricula; changes in the college calendar and their effects on curriculum; the present status of nontraditional studies; the growth and impact of consortia; the state of college admissions; the impact of faculty unions and collective bargaining; recent court decisions affecting faculty hiring and termination; the state of the art of trusteemanship; patterns of private financial support; and comprehensive (as contrasted with piecemeal) change as part of the future of American higher education. The work is addressed to educators, laymen, and students. (MSE)