Long-term needs of California for postsecondary education and the state's ability to meet the needs will be reassessed by the California Postsecondary Education Commission. Assumptions of the Commission's current long-range planning effort are briefly reviewed. The scope of postsecondary education will include public and private nonprofit and proprietary institutions. Areas of inquiry will likely concern: the impact of demographic changes, the state's ability to fund postsecondary education, the role of colleges in the economic development of the state, and the impact of societal change and work on postsecondary education. The topics of four background papers and one policy paper that will be generated are described. Background papers will primarily be concerned with forecasts based on reasonable projections for 1985 to 2000. In addition to a review of statewide long-range planning, the papers will cover the following concerns for 1985-2000: social and economic trends; population and enrollment trends; financial support for California postsecondary education; and policy issues for postsecondary education. The kinds of subjects and questions that are likely to be addressed for each paper are identified. (SW)