In their efforts to manage the college environment, many higher-education institutions have deployed complex systems of student discipline--often in the form of legalistic codes of conduct. Paradoxically, says the author, major challenges involving students on campuses appear to be getting worse: high-risk alcohol/drug use persists; student mental-health issues have never been more prominent; and cheating/lack of respect for academic integrity are rampant. Although administrators seem to believe that student disciplinary codes are legally required or will help combat the risk of litigation, the Supreme Court has never required colleges to have such legalistic codes and procedures. Colleges today feature systems of student self-governance, and the author advocates for reducing the quantity and pervasiveness of legalisms when it comes to dealing with student issues. Codes that respond specifically to each institution's particular situations are needed based on processes that are educationally sound, incorporating explanations of the principles, values, and standards to be fostered. As the focus of higher education has shifted from preserving the power and prerogative of donors and institutions to empowering students, the author contends that the emphasis on students requires a movement away from legalisms, codes, and discipline toward helping students help themselves, possibly in the form of personal master academic plans (MAP's), guided and aided by administrators and college personnel. Such an approach will provide the type of service students both desire and need to succeed and thrive in higher education today.