An examination is provided of the environmental, economic, and educational factors that will influence the courses, programs, and services of the community college in the future. Introductory remarks provide an overview of the future of the community college, detailing factors affecting the institutions such as the tax revolution, declining enrollment, student fees, social and economic changes, protectionism, state mandates, and the litigious nature of society. Section I is devoted to the environmental component, looking at population trends and environmental deterioration from world, national, state, and county perspectives; and examining environmental regulators and social implications. Section II considers the economic component, analyzing the consumer price index, index to housing costs, renting costs, costs of maintaining a home, current salaries in key industries, and the monetary horizon. Section III addresses employment levels and unemployment issues, and section IV explores the educational component. This section includes a summary of the analysis so far, selections condensed or excerpted from two major educational reports including "A Nation at Risk," an examination of implications for community colleges, especially the faculty, a discussion of the need for articulation with secondary schools, and definitions of 10 areas having particular impact on the future of community colleges. Finally, a brief postscript affirms the role of the community college in a changing environment. Appendices include information on futures planning, census data, and bibliography. (LAL)