Conditions that inhibit change in higher education institutions and various models of the change process are described. Attention is also directed to: organizational character, structural features, planning procedures, key individuals in the change process, and practical advice about change. The major change models for higher education institutions are: research, development, and diffusion (rational planning); problem solving; social interaction; political (conflict); linkage; and adaptive development. Structural features of the institution that may affect receptivity to change include school size and decentralized/centralized decision-making procedures. Characteristics that indicate openness to change include lateral rather than vertical communications, a consensus on operating goals, a spirit of self-examination, provision of resources for change, and widespread influence on decision-making. Ongoing planning processes that rely on institutional research data to plan long-range goals and to revise the plans periodically may allow the institution to respond to the need for change. Use of an internal versus an external change agent are compared. Steps in instituting change may involve trying to create a receptive climate, diagnosing the problem that led to a need for change, developing a proposal for implementing the change, campaigning to gain approval, and implementation. (SW)