The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 45, No. 2 - 91

Review of Student Affairs Leadership

how SSAOs communicate with students, staff,
parents, and community members. Chapter 6
applies the ecological patterning framework
to the physical environments of organizations
and discusses how an SSAO navigated the
removal of a controversial symbolic campus
artifact. This chapter also introduces two decision-making conceptual frameworks-the
degree of influence framework and the symbolic versus functional framework-to help
inform how leaders engage in decision-making processes and navigate leadership dilemmas relating to physical environments.
The authors' research presented in subsequent chapters focuses on the nuanced aspects
of SSAO positions. For example, Chapter 7
provides examples of how SSAOs navigate
legal/political sub-environments. Despite
the institutional type, the political sub-environment was most crucial in the SSAO role
and the most difficult to maneuver. Ecological patterning demonstrated that establishing
positive relationships was vital in successfully
exploring legal/political sub-environments.
Chapter 8 highlights how SSAOs navigate the
ever changing resource sub-environments of
their institutions. Acknowledging that SSAOs
make difficult financial decisions, the chapter
explores how SSAOs apply ecological pattern-

Despite the institutional type, the
political sub-environment was most
crucial in the SSAO role and the
most difficult to maneuver.

ing to engage in decision-making processes to
determine resource allotment. Moreover, the
chapter serves as an introduction to Chapter
9, which explores ecological patterning and
ethical sub-environments. The anecdotes expressed in this chapter articulate how SSAOs
naturally hold themselves to high ethical standards and how campus missions influence
their ethical behavior. Many SSAOs noted that
their ethical behavior is also associated with
their leadership actions. Notably, this chapter
explains how SSAOs are transparent with their
decisions to demonstrate their ethical behavior. Chapter 10 then discusses how SSAOs
balance their leadership efforts across the six
sub-environments.
In closing, Chapters 11 and 12 incorporate
lessons from the 24 SSAOs and examine the
future of student affairs leadership. Incorporating decision-making and communication,
Chapter 11 provides recommendations on how
leaders should manage change in their organizations based on the research findings. Applying ecological patterning to examine change
management strategies and leadership styles,
this chapter shares specific examples of how
leaders can enact transformational, adaptive,
designed, and incremental change management strategies. Chapter 12 posits that, as a
result of ecological patterning, future SSAOs
must acquire a broad knowledge of functional
areas in academic and student affairs, demonstrate keen institutional knowledge, and
exhibit strong interpersonal skills such as open
communication and negotiation.
Kuk and Banning have a wide breadth of
professional experience in student affairs
and expertise in organizational development.
Having served in various SSAO positions, inV O L U M E 4 5 , NO. 2 * 2 0 1 9

The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 45, No. 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 45, No. 2