The roles of urban community colleges, state universities, and state government in promoting the attainment of bachelor's degrees among urban community college students were investigated in the following urban settings: Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Miami, Newark, Philadelphia, Phoenix, St. Louis, and Tampa-St. Petersburg. In each city, the community colleges serving the highest proportions of minorities and the public universities to which a majority of their students transferred were assessed. Surveys of students who transferred from community colleges to adjacent public universities were undertaken, along with visits to state agencies. It was found that the urban community colleges enrolled large numbers of minority students who were underrepresented in other segments of the postsecondary system, and many of these students were severely underprepared for college. Strategies selected by the community colleges included providing a supportive environment, emphasizing vocational education, and reducing the rigor of academic work. It is concluded that leadership in improving the transfer process and improved communication between university and community college faculty are needed. The use of common course numbers and standardized course descriptions is recommended, along with exit competency testing at the community college. (SW)