Societal needs and demands, together with the increasing interdependence between the university and its environment have forced the university to reassess its relationship to the wider community and reexamine its service responsibilities. The service function has become an integral and essential part of the academic scene, inseparable from research and instruction functions. The university, therefore, for both external and internal reasons, must decide what its service role should be. To examine the way the University of Illinois is meeting these responsibilities, a study was made of the structural approach to extension and public service, the personnel and finances involved, the clientele served, the methods and techniques employed, and the specific programs undertaken. The results indicated that the university was heavily but haphazardly involved, that the character of the clientele varied greatly, and that so many different techniques were used that no conclusion could be drawn as to which were most effective. An examination was also made of the specific external problems needing attention and the institutional adjustments, in terms of organization, personnel and finance, that would have to be faced in order to meet society's demands and needs. Recommendations for changes are presented in Phase II of the Study. (AM)