Administrators in student affairs navigate bureaucracies, manage staff, advocate for resources, and lead with purpose (Sermersheim & Keim, 2005). Nonetheless, scholars note research concerning student affairs management and leadership remains underemphasized in the current literature (Lovell & Kosten, 2000; Carpenter & Stimpson, 2007). Few models in student affairs exist to help translate theory to practice. Bolman and Deal’s (2013) four frames encourage leaders to view organizations through structural, human resource, political, and symbolic lenses. The four frames synthesize decades of literature on organizational theory and are frequently cited in higher education and student affairs publications. Previous scholarship, however, does not provide a model for applying the frames in student affairs administration. This paper proposes the Circular Framing Model-a model for administrative practice combining Bolman and Deal’s four frames with Birnbaum’s (1988) ideas of thinking in systems and circles. This model helps student affairs professionals critically evaluate their environments to lead and manage more effectively.