This six-part report is the result of a 1980-81 study by the Illinois Community College Trustees Association of the fundamental questions that underlie the common educational enterprise of the community college system. It seeks to provide community college trustees and state policy-makers with guidelines for governing and planning higher education in Illinois. After Part I introduces the report and identifies the members of the Committee on Policies for the 80's, Part II summarizes the eleven recommendations developed by the Committee. Part III provides background on the Illinois community college system, focusing on the birth and growth of the colleges and the Illinois master plan for higher education. It goes on to profile the colleges in terms of student demographics, programs and course offerings, and finances. Finally, this section enumerates the challenges the Committee saw emerging for the community colleges. Section IV presents in detail the recommendations of the Committee for dealing with these challenges. These recommendations concern community college mission, community needs, the open-door philosophy, governance, community development, higher education coordination, funding, interinstitutional cooperation, management practices, the protection of the basic nature of the community college, and public confidence. Section V presents conclusions, Section VI contains appendices providing supportive data, and Section VII offers a bibliography. (AYC)