Decisions Matter

Book excerpt: Decisions Matter is an innovative guide designed to help novice student affairs professionals develop effective decision-making skills. Written by seasoned student affairs educators and practitioners, this book contains a systematic method for solving a wide range of complex problems. In this exceptional instructional tool, the authors present a decision-making framework developed specifically to address challenges in contemporary higher education, including alcohol issues, natural disasters, social media, group dynamics, mental health concerns, veterans affairs, and much more. Decisions Matter features 30 diverse case studies that reflect real-life scenarios faced by student affairs professionals on college and university campuses. The cases involve a variety of functional areas and institutional contexts to prepare readers to make decisions in different educational settings. A significant feature of Decisions Matter is its connection to and use of the professional competencies outlined in Professional Competency Areas for Student Affairs Practitioners (ACPA & NASPA, 2010). Decisions Matter provides a practical set of strategies to help graduate students and new professionals cultivate proficiency in the professional competency areas while making decisions about multifaceted higher education problems. Effective decision making is an essential skill for successful student affairs practice. By learning and applying the decision-making framework and professional competencies to case studies and real-world problems, emerging student affairs professionals can begin their journey toward developing a consistent, comprehensive, and thoughtful process for decision making.