Directed at the problem of providing equitable long term rural development, this collection of papers deals with the criteria on which research and educational priorities should be based, given the vast problems and limited resources in the U.S. today. There are 11 papers in this collection: "National Outlook and Perspective" (a plea for coordination between research and an educational framework for implementation of research findings, utilizing interdisciplinary research, and involving the people concerned); "Scope and National Concerns" (new rural development aims at all of rural America and at helping people to remain in the rural areas); "Decision Making at the State and Regional Levels"; "Decision Making at the Community Level"; "Decision Making at the Household Level";"Economic Research Problems" (achieving balanced national growth in export-producing activities, optimal management scale of service delivery, and citizen participation in social priority setting); "Sociological Research Problems" (priorities for sociological research); "Research Resources for Micropolitan Development"; "Organization of University Personnel"; and "New Priorities" (land grant universities, research funding, and the rural citizen). (JC)