Colleges and their surrounding communities have a supplier/consumer relationship--in exchange for the use of tax-exempt land and tax-supported services, the college acts as a cultural and educational center that provides the community with social and economic benefits. However, in times of a declining economy, this symbiotic relationship is not always understood. Community impact studies, therefore, should be used to supply data that help the community determine the net value of the presence of a college or university in the vicinity. A valuable resource for conducting these surveys is a book entitled, "Conducting Community College Impact Studies: A Handbook for Community Colleges," by Armijo, Micek, and Cooper. This work provides a complete how-to-do-it guide for assessing the economic, educational, social, and technological impacts of a college on a community, and provides recommendations for the definition of the environment to be studied, a description of the groups to be surveyed, and sample survey instruments. Impact studies also help a college determine community awareness and use of its programs, the extent to which it is meeting community needs, and the existence of unmet needs. Thus, community impact studies serve both to enhance college/community relationships and to provide data for future program planning. (JP)