Changes in the composition of the group moving through the educational system will change the system faster than anything else, and it is noted that drastic population shifts are on the horizon. Half of the 50 states now have school populations that are 25% nonwhite, and by the year 2000, one in three in the United States will be a minority. The current demographics of cultural pluralism that will increasingly impact higher education are presented as related to the nation, the state of Illinois, and Western Illinois University. The enigma of declining enrollments of minority students is noted. The challenges of being culturally different in a predominantly white U.S. college are discussed, noting that many minority students feel they must give up their cultural identity in order to succeed in contemporary institutions of higher education. It is important to broaden the cultural base of the required curriculum and help the students feel respect for their cultural heritages in order to develop positive identifications with the colleges and universities they are attending. Several possibilities for meeting the challenges of campus cultural diversity are reviewed. Overviews of the backgrounds brought to higher education and the special needs of various minority groups are presented. Contains 31 references. (Author/SM)