Presidential effectiveness is considered in the context of decision-making that shaped the mission of certain midwestern colleges as they moved toward adopting the American research university mission. The issue is strategic success: the extent to which presidents at a time of opportunity or adversity made decisions that led the college to success. Significant outcomes from presidential effectiveness studies and essays written during the past 25 years are reviewed. Attention is also directed to results of a historical investigation (1842-1980) of 20 strategic policy decisions at three private church-related universities (University of Notre Dame, Loyola University of Chicago, and DePaul University) that showed how presidents significantly changed the aims of their institutional mission. The associated decision-making styles are also addressed (charismatic, consensus, incremental, and "garbage can"). It is posited that the assessment of presidential strategic management--as opposed to administrative and operational decision-making--requires a historical analysis of actual policy decision-making rather than one-time attitudinal studies. Seventy-five footnotes are appended. (SW)