"The cases appear at the beginning of the book in the form of a useful table, which breaks down each case according to topic, functional area, and type of conflict or issue. The introductory chapter provides a brief and helpful guide about how to utilize the case studies: steps for analyzing key points, discussing stakeholderse, and identifying possible courses of action. The authors also suggest different methods of use based on the reader's role: written assignments by faculty, or one-on-one discussions between the student leader and the advisor.
This book works well as a teaching and student leader development tool for several reasons. The cases presented in each chapter cover a wide range of topics and functional areas. The situations also vary in complexity. Most cases can easily be adapted to the institution's type or location, or to the student leader's style or position. As a student affairs practitioner at a small, private, liberal arts, church-affiliated college, I found it rather easy to adapt situations from a large public university to my own campus setting.
Mant of the cases presented in one situation could easily be adapted to student leaders in another situation. For example, many of the cases presented for orientation and Welcome Week can be easily applied to residence life. Cases are also timely, including examples involving technology and Facebook.
Several cases can lead to a deeper discussion about how a student leader fits in the larger college community because they clearly suggest the involvement of college and university staff and officials.
Each case comes with suggested discussion questions, beginning by asking participants to identify the issues in the case. The depth of questions often correlates to the complexity of the dilemma presented. Questions move beyond the specific case's basic issues to larger questions, making the cases adaptable to varying types of institutions, organizations or situations."
The Review of Higher Education
"Politics. Divided loyalties. Ethical dilemmas. Peer conflicts. Supervisory issues. These are just a few of the complexities student leaders must navigate in their daily lives on college campuses. In order to better prepare students to constructively engage in such experiences, Sarah Marshall and Anne Hornak's book A Day in the Life of a College Student Leader offers a litany of case studies designed to generate meaningful dialogue and critical analysis of realistic campus-based student experiences with leadership. . . . In sum, the specificity and flexibility of this book make it a valuable contribution to faculty and administrators seeking to help students wrestle with the nexus of leadership theory and practice. It offers a much-needed contribution to the student leadership literature, is informed by and true to contemporary college student experiences, and useful across multiple educational contexts."
Julie E. Owen
Journal of College Student Development
George Mason University
"This title provides numerous case studies in ethics and leadership for the college student, in the key areas of Greek life, student government, residence life, leading minority/underrepresented groups, activities/programming board/fee allocation, service learning organizations and community engagement, orientation week, honorary/academic/professional associations, and general leadership. Cases are based on interviews with undergraduate students, and the first two cases provided include lengthy questions and suggestions setting the tone for individual use of the remaining scenarios. A handy table at the beginning of the publication lists each case study title and page number and cross-references it to the type of leadership questions it raises. "
Book News Inc
