ABSTRACT
The chief of staff (or director of administration) position has begun to emerge among student affairs management teams as an important role, usually reporting directly to the vice president or senior student affairs officer. This chapter explores the historical roots of the position and describes its most common roles and responsibilities. It provides back-ground information and job descriptions for several representative positions and discusses some issues and challenges for the future. The chief of staff role for the Division of Student Affairs at the University of California, Santa Barbara, was established in 1993 when a vacant assistant vice chancellor position was replaced with one that focused on communication, policy development, grievance resolution, and oversight for the vice chancellor's office. As divisions of student affairs move toward establishing chief of staff positions and centralizing administrative functions, challenges frequently emerge with the pooling of resources and personnel.
