Internal and external changes affecting higher education and responses that student personnel workers can take are discussed. Societal changes that influence colleges include a declining birth rate, changing sex roles, and shifts to an information-based society. Notable political trends that affect colleges include accountability requirements, concern for quality, and financial problems. In addition, student services have responded to the needs of nontraditional students (women, minorities, foreigners, older people, the disabled, part-time students, and academically underprepared students). To deal with the various changes, colleges have employed a variety of strategies that have implications for student affairs organizations. New strategies concern: comprehensive planning, enrollment management, preventive law, resource management, and changing relationships of business and colleges. The student affairs worker can help to integrate both student and institutional needs. In serving as an integrator, the student affairs worker needs to develop skills in management and research, as well as political and organizational skills. College preparation programs for student personnel workers need to provide training for these new roles. Student development theory also faces challenges from changes that are occurring. Thirteen pages of references and an index are provided. (SW)