THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES THE WAYS IN WHICH THE UNIVERSITY CAN AND MUST HELP THE CITY SOLVE ITS PROBLEMS. HE SEES THE TWO MAJOR NEEDS OF URBAN INSTITUTIONS AS A MANPOWER SHORTAGE AND A KNOWLEDGE PROBLEM. THE UNIVERSITY MUST MOBILIZE ITS RESOURCES RAPIDLY AND RESPONSIBLY NOT ONLY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF WORKERS AVAILABLE BUT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY OF THESE PEOPLE. IT MUST REDEFINE JOB CONTENT, TRAINING, ROLES, AND JOB STATUS, REEVALUATE CURRENT NOTIONS ABOUT PROFESSIONALISM, AND GIVE ATTENTION TO THE INCREASING USE OF SUBPROFESSIONALS. IN REGARD TO THE KNOWLEDGE PROBLEM, THE UNIVERSITY MUST EMPHASIZE THE APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE TO THE IMPROVEMENT OF SOCIETY AND WORK TOWARD CREATIVE INNOVATION, SEEKING NEW WAYS TO RELATE ITS RESOURCES TO COMMUNITY NEEDS. IT MUST ALSO SEEK A COMMON LANGUAGE TO BRIDGE THE GAP BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATOR'S CONCERN FOR IMMEDIATE ANSWERS TO SPECIFIC PROBLEMS AND THE SCHOLAR'S CONCERN FOR THEORY AND RESEARCH. THE COMPLETE DOCUMENT, "POLITICAL BACKGROUND OF ADULT EDUCATION, THE UNIVERSITY IN URBAN SOCIETY," IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF LIBERAL EDUCATION OF ADULTS AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY, 138 MOUNTFORT ST., BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS 02146, FOR $1.25. (EB)