This master plan for the Maryland community colleges represents a complete revision from previous editions, including new statements of mission, goals, strengths and problems. Major sections of the plan consider (1) statewide and local governance; (2) trends, current status and projections in the areas of enrollment, programs of instruction, finance, and physical facilities; (3) progress in meeting goals; (4) major policy directions and actions in the areas finance, regional and statewide programs, new program priorities, articulation, and education of the handicapped; (5) current and projected programs, enrollment, facility needs, costs per student and operating expenditures for each college; and (6) methods used to evaluate progress toward attainment of objectives. A section analyzing current strengths and problems outlines six issues of concern: decline of the liberal arts, the financial squeeze, increased requirements for reporting and regulation, conflict surrounding collective bargaining, erosion of the low cost feature of community colleges, and developmental education. Appendices reprint State Board operational policies and facility guidelines, and also provide definitions for designation of regional/statewide programs, standards for enrollment projections, and selected statistical data for fiscal year 1978. (BB)