RESULTS OF A 2-YEAR STUDY ARE SUMMARIZED IN ORDER TO EVALUATE THE PRESENT STATUS OF JUNIOR COLLEGE PERSONNEL WORK. A SERIES OF 21 FUNCTIONS, DEVELOPED BY PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD, PROVIDES CRITERIA TO DEFINE BOTH PRESENT AND PREFERRED PROGRAMS. QUESTIONNAIRE AND INTERVIEW DATA GATHERED FROM A SELECTED NATIONAL SAMPLE OF 49 LARGER AND 74 SMALLER COLLEGES INDICATE THAT--(1) BASIC STUDENT PERSONNEL FUNCTIONS ARE NOT BEING ADEQUATELY PERFORMED IN THE MAJORITY OF THE COLLEGES STUDIED, (2) CERTAIN INSTITUTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS THE CLARITY OF STAFF ROLES ARE MORE DETERMINANT OF THE QUALITY AND LEVEL OF PROGRAM THAN EITHER PLACEMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITY OR GRADUATE TRAINING LEVEL OF THE STAFF, (3) STUDENT EVALUATIONS CAST DOUBT ON WIDELY EXPRESSED VIEWS OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS, AND (4) PROGRAMS CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS STRONG OR WEAK ON THE BASIS OF THE CRITERION DEVELOPED. IMPROVEMENT OF PROGRAMS NECESSARILY INVOLVES A SERIES OF STEPS RELATED TO (1) CREATION OF THE PROPER INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT, (2) DEFINITION OF FUNCTIONS TO BE PERFORMED AND THE STRUCTURE OF STAFF NEEDED TO CARRY OUT THESE FUNCTIONS, AND (3) DESCRIPTION OF TRAINING NECESSARY TO PROFESSIONALIZE THE WORK OF THE STAFF. GUIDELINES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT ARE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. THIS DOCUMENT IS ALSO AVAILABLE FROM THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF JUNIOR COLLEGES, 1315 SIXTEENTH STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036, FOR $1.50. (AL)