This monograph includes the initial description of a research and evaluation program that is being conducted in conjunction with a large curriculum and instructional development program involving a number of predominantly black colleges and universities. The program is the Thirteen-College Curriculum Program, which is designed to deal with the problems of black students. In addition to discussing the elements of the research and evaluation program, a summary of the entering characteristics of students enrolled in participating colleges is provided, followed by the complete data organized in tabular form. (Author/CS)