An effective college president must be first, foremost, and always an educator. It is his or her task to make decisions that help create the context in which the authentic individual, the civilized citizen, may emerge. (Author/MSE)

In order for the college admissions officer to plan an admissions recruitment program that is effective in terms of serving both the institution and the student, it is important that the plight of the high school senior during this year of passage be understood. The decision-making process is described and an admissions plan is advocated. (LBH)

To be a leader who makes tough and meaningful decisions, one must be effective, want but not need the job, believe in one's decisions, and have a vision for the institution. Leadership is not shown in single issues but in the consistency of judgments made to serve the institution. (MSE)

In her first month in office, a president learns of charges of racial discrimination in the university's intercollegiate athletic program to which she must respond at the same time as she is learning her way around campus and establishing herself in the community.

The importance of strong moral and ethical integrity to the American college presidency is often overlooked. A president who has not stood alone against the bureaucracy and overruled it in favor of a single student, a faculty member, or an unpopular issue is not doing the job. (Author/MSE)

Four case studies concerning joint faculty-administration committees established to make major decisions (Princeton University, New Jersey; Northwestern University, Illinois; Teacher's College Columbia University, New York; Ohio University) suggest that, although the committees have potential to improve campus management, they are neither as…

Leaders must take advantage of opportunities for change, know when to act and when not to act, have faith in their own judgment, take risks, and enjoy building their institutions. A strong institution ultimately measures a college president's leadership. (Author/MSE)

Reallocation of positive reductions in staffing and urgent retrenchments will require a consistently open process. A forced-choice decision-making environment will focus greater attention on the legitimacy and trustworthiness of the decision-making process. (Author/MLW)

Current decision-making practices at a sample of institutions offer suggestions about desirable faculty and administrator roles in the planning process. (Author/LBH)

Strategic planning involves analysis of risks and opportunities; financial management entails balancing risks and resources to achieve institutional goals. A framework is suggested to help college administrators integrate the two functions. (Author/MSE)

Creating a presidential administrative team requires assessing the institution, its organizational structure, and its personnel. The selection process must be rooted in an understanding of the needs of the institution, its president, and key administrators. (Author/MLW)