This paper rejects the view that the need to modify the status and role of minorities in educational research and development is of high priority. The need to modify this status is viewed as symptomatic of the problem of differential treatment of persons of color by American educational institutions. The problem which the American Educational Research Association (AERA) must address is institutionalized ethnocentrism as it is manifested in the inability of American educational institutions to effect equal outcomes for all students. Minority group children consistently score below the median on standardized verbal tests. Hispanics and blacks are underrepresented among college bound students, and among those receiving doctorates. Thus it could be expected that blacks and Hispanics would also be underrepresented in the research and development enterprise. Eight guidelines for AERA behavior and four courses of action are suggested to help AERA reduce institutional ethnocentrism in its own organization. The reduction of institutional ethnocentrism must become a high priority for AERA, and that priority must be reflected in its budget. (RLV)