Faculty handbooks are as essential as they are likely to be overlooked, and they serve an invaluable purpose in the lives of most colleges and universities (if only occasionally). A conscientious trustee should know certain basic attributes of such publications. This article presents a list of ten important things to keep in mind about faculty handbooks: (1) One size does not fit all--and should not; (2) Faculty handbooks should welcome newcomers; (3) How the handbook is created may be almost as important as what it contains; (4) The handbook should be comprehensive and specific, but it can not possibly cover every detail or contingency; (5) The handbook must distinguish between hortatory and regulatory statements; (6) Handbook rules and regulations should be treated as legally binding, even if courts would not always treat them as binding; (7) Do not assume the worst--but prepare for it anyway; (8) Process is everything--and offers the best chance for staying out of court; (9) Though a handbook is never cast in stone, it should not be treated as clay; (10) While faculty handbooks are becoming increasingly web-based, there is still a role for the old-fashioned print version.