This book discusses exemplary leadership in the administration of student services in colleges and universities. It focuses on the various themes that emerge from 210 practitioners in students services, nominated by their peers as effective leaders, as they share their thoughts about the practice of their profession. Part 1 focuses on attributes, skills, and institutional conditions conducive to the emergence of good leadership in student services. Part 2 focuses on relationships with students, faculty members, and staff members. Part 3 contains four chapters dealing with the hurdles, whether ordinary or extraordinary, that student affairs administrators face. The book shows how student services practitioners can develop positive relationships with faculty, offering a variety of approaches to forging meaningful relationships. It also identifies the behaviors most essential for working successfully with students and offers specific advice on how to hire the best staff and facilitate their professional development. Finally, the book presents strategies for coping with the issues of day-to-day practice, including confidentiality, favoritism, and budgets as well as providing various approaches to building credibility around such key campus issues as identity, gender, race, and politics. Contains approximately 140 references and indexes. (GLR)