The conspicuous absence of Black professionals at predominantly White colleges has serious consequences for Black students. In the State University of New York system, for example, there are only 262 Blacks in a 9,000 member faculty and the highest percentage of Black professionals are low level administrators. For the few Black faculty on majority campuses, maintaining racial identity is difficult. Yet it is essential, for often only a minority teacher can effectively reach a minority student. Black students at White schools are often less well educated than Black students at Black schools because majority teachers cannot always communicate their knowledge in a manner that is meaningful to minority students. Obviously, too, Whites cannot teach Black awareness and pride. Black professors, on the other hand, often become the unofficial mentors of Black students, but this time-consuming activity does not help them gain tenure. Non-renewal of Black faculty is widespread and is accompanied by a decline in the number of Black Studies programs at predominantly White campuses. Black students at majority schools will only survive in direct ratio to the input and impact of Black faculty and staff. More research is needed to substantiate this claim, and affirmative action for faculty and students must be maintained. More fundamentally, however, Black professionals and parents must be willing to assume the ultimate responsibility for the education of Black children. (KH)