It is my belief that workforce shortages have been creeping up on the US for the past 10 years. With our rapid emersion into economic globalization, these workforce shortages that are quickly developing will become a priority issue within the coming five years. This is not a question of having enough able bodied workers; it is a question of having the right match of our workers--workers with the proper skills and relevant education to fill the new jobs that will emerge in the coming years. A few years ago many people laughed at the suggestion of an emerging nanotechnology industry. Most have stopped laughing now with knowledge of the array of products currently utilizing nanotechnology. Biotechnology, or Bioscience, unheard of 10 years ago now has cities, regions or even states vying to be recognized as the center for biotechnology for our country or possibly the world.

A perfect storm is forming on the distant--or maybe not so distant--horizon with a nexus among the following factors affecting colleges and universities:

• A rapidly changing demography,
• Intensifying recruitment pressures,
• A burgeoning population of students poorly prepared for higher education,
• A worsening imbalance between male and female enrollments,
• Expanding threats for a variety of government efforts toward price controls,
• Swelling student financial need, and
• Relentless pressure to provide more and more extensive student service programming.