IN A NATIONWIDE STUDY OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES, CHARACTERISTICS, AND BACKGROUND OF ADULT EDUCATION ADMINISTRATORS IN PUBLIC JUNIOR COLLEGES, QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES FROM 126 ADMINISTRATORS (OF A POPULATION OF 127) WERE ANALYZED. THE TYPICAL POSITION WAS LOCATED IN ONE OF FIVE STATES, HAD BEEN CREATED SINCE 1960, WAS EXCLUSIVELY ADMINISTRATIVE, AND WAS IN A "DIRECT LINE" RELATIONSHIP TO THE INSTITUTION'S CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR. THE TYPICAL ADMINISTRATOR (1) WAS A MALE, (2) WAS FROM 40 TO 59 YEARS OF AGE, (3) WAS AS LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN A TEACHER AS A COLLEGE ADMINISTRATOR IMMEDIATELY BEFORE HIS PRESENT POSITION, (4) HAD AT LEAST A MASTER'S DEGREE, AND (5) WAS APPOINTED FROM WITHIN THE INSTITUTION OR FROM A PUBLIC SCHOOL. WHILE EDUCATION AND ADMINISTRATION ACCOUNTED FOR ALMOST HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS' DEGREES, JUNIOR COLLEGE AND ADULT EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION WERE NOT COMMON FIELDS OF PREPARATION. THE FINDINGS RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ADEQUACY OF CURRENT EDUCATIONAL AND EXPERIENTIAL TRAINING FOR SUCH POSITIONS, AND ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP OF AN ADMINISTRATOR'S BACKGROUND TO THE QUANTITY AND QUALITY OF THE PROGRAM HE ADMINISTERS. (WO)