Three forces that are reshaping society in this country—the economy, the availability of information and technology, and changes in ethnic demography—are creating major changes in higher education. Federal funding, which has been the major provider of research and training projects, is undergoing reductions and changes in priorities. State funding has shrunk to very low percentages of the overall universities' budgets. A consequence is the“privatization”of universities: the development of university–business partnerships, the scramble for endowments and foundation support, and the sale of university names and icons for large donations. Two other forces changing higher education are the rise of multiculturalism and the aging of the faculty. In order to survive and actualize our visions in the 21st century, kinesiologists and physical educators must use an understanding of the roots and impact of societal change as a compass for charting the future.