Issue
27(2)
Improving
Leadership in Student Affairs Administration: A Case Approach.
(2000).
Arthur Sandeen. Springfield,
IL: Charles C. Thomas Publishers.
226 pp. $49.95. ISBN #
0-398-07064-4.
Review
by: Jenine
Mullin
Office
of Academic Advising
Wilmington
College
(Delaware)
Sandeen
provides learning opportunities for current and future student
affairs leaders through eighteen challenging case studies. He
presents thorough background descriptions of institutions (including
student and faculty profiles), states the problems at hand, poses
several possible solutions, and raises discussion questions. While
the case studies do not specifically address advising issues,
topics easily apply to advising.
Case
studies cover administrative issues such as coordination with
other divisions, funding, programming, policy-making, and problem-solving.
Follow-up questions typically explore the pros and cons of potential
solutions; ethics; institutional and department missions; roles
of students, staff members, and faculty. Sandeen makes it clear
that "no 'correct' response is implied" (p. vi), but rather critical
thinking is encouraged. These case studies, written in plain language,
present an excellent opportunity to open discussion amongst advising
staff members or even between divisions and departments.
Sandeen has
explicitly geared the book toward current and future senior student
affairs administrators (Directors of Student Life, Vice Presidents,
Deans of Students, etc.). His goal is to foster leadership across
all areas of student affairs. Academic advisors who are looking
for advisor-student case studies will not find that here. However,
the content and discussion questions are still very useful to
advisors and advising administrators. Sandeen is thoughtful in
including case studies about diverse institution types and sizes,
so student affairs staff members at all institutions will feel
that they can relate. Faculty advisors, division advisors, athletic
advisors, or advisors in general would all benefit from exploring
the case studies individually and with their colleagues. Academic
advisors will find that this book would be best utilized as a
reading assignment prior to a staff retreat or broken into parts
and utilized in leadership and development workshops.
