The efforts of college student affairs professionals aimed at improving student life, integrating new student groups, and attracting and retaining students are becoming critical to institutions attempting to maintain enrollments of qualified students, ensure academic achievement, place graduates, and develop supportive alumni. Changes in student affairs contexts and clienteles involve uneven success with students from underrepresented groups, demographic shifts, expanding use of information technologies, increasing violence, the burden of debt, and new emphasis on accountability. An expanded role for student affairs is demanded, which would require creatively and collaboratively integrating the institution's development with that of students. This new role calls for changes in the programs and services offered, the professional skills employed by student affairs professionals, and the content of the preparation and continuing development of professionals. The new role demands professionals who are competent in counseling and administration, organizational development, quality management, planning, evaluation and research, and current issues in higher education. Responsibilities of student affairs professionals, institutions, and personnel preparation programs are listed. (JDD)