Activities | Student Org & Advisor Handbook

Student Organization & Advisor Handbook

LEADING AN ORGANIZATION

Content: Officers & Executive Board | Officers Checklist | Advising an Organization | Terms of Service for Advisors | Advisor Roles | Advisor Advantages

Officers and the Executive Board return to top
Based on individual organization constitutions, officers will have a variety of responsibilities. These officers will assist you with leading the organization and its members.

Although the responsibilities are uniquely tailored to fit each organization, general guidelines for duties do exist. For example, the President should conduct meetings and oversee general operations of the club; the Vice President should act in this capacity in the absence of the President; the Secretary records the business of the organization; and the Treasurer or Finance Coordinator keeps track of financial matters.

It is also the responsibility of all executives to be aware of all the rules and regulations that govern student organizations. These are outlined in this handbook.

Specific training and guidance on University policies or leadership development may be received from the Student Activities office.

Officers Checklist return to top
Responsibilities of organization officers besides those listed in the organization’s constitution . . .
1. When a member of the faculty or staff is asked to serve as advisor, s/he should be informed about what the organization will require and expect from her or him.
2. The advisor should be given information relating to all the activities of the organization.
3. Notices of meetings should be given to the advisor. Every attempt should be made to set a time that is convenient for the advisor when designating a meeting time for the semester.
4. The advisor should be invited to executive meetings in which agendas are established for general meetings. If the advisor is unable to attend, s/he should be informed about what is discussed and requested to submit additional items.
5. The organization should confirm the appointment of the advisor each year and should be certain the advisor will serve before submitting his/her name as advisor.
6. The officers of the organization should maintain a close relationship with the advisor and should provide opportunities for the advisor to meet as many members as possible.
7. Organizations should always invite the advisor to all events and keep the advisor informed of activities sponsored by the organization; this should be done to allow the advisor to be aware of what is happening and also to allow him/her to provide feedback and support to the proposed event/activity. Some events will require an advisor to be present.
8. If situations arise that may cause problems for the organization or any member of the organization, the advisor should be informed immediately.
9. Organizations should update the advisor of the financial condition of the organization. This is important for all organizations, but it is especially important for organizations receiving funds from student Segregated Fees. The advisor should not be expected to cosign a monetary request unless s/he has evidence of the validity of the request and documentation.
10. Organizations should recognize that an advisor should not be committed to any type of obligation unless she agrees to the commitment.
11. Minutes of meetings as well as other materials from the organizations should be submitted to the advisor, as these materials are made available to the members.
12. An organization should be aware that the advisor is providing services without compensation. Although advisors do not expect special recognition, they would like to know that their services are appreciated.
13. Advisors can be held responsible, just like the officers and members, for the organization’s events and behavior.
14. The organization should be willing to discuss any dissatisfaction it may have with the advisor. Every effort should be made to resolve this. The advisor should also feel free to discuss her/his dissatisfaction. If these cannot be resolved, the Student Activities Office can be asked to mediate discussion.

Advising a Student Organization return to top
An important part of any student organization is the advisor. Every student organization must have an advisor to be officially recognized by the University. The advisor is required to be a UW-Parkside faculty or academic staff member. The University believes an advisor serves a very important function to the organization, and to the campus activities program. The selection of an advisor provides a new perspective, opportunity for feedback and support to the organization. His/her experience and position with the University helps provide the ability to serve as a mentor and consultant.

There is a tendency for an organization to select an advisor and feel that it has met requirements and that nothing more is necessary. The ideal relationship between the advisor and the student organization would be a partnership providing the basis for good decision-making and leadership of the organization.

It is obvious that there is a need for communication and mutual understanding. Advisors have obligations to their organizations and to the University, and organizations have obligations to their advisor as well as the University. Ideally, the relationship between the advisor and the organization would involve trust and respect. The advisor must feel that s/he can depend on the organization to act in a manner that is responsible, and the organization must feel that is can depend on the advisor to act in a manner that is responsible as well.

One of the most frequently asked questions about advising students groups concerns the legal liability of the advisor. In general, the advisor has accepted the position of advisor to a student group as “part of the job.” The advisor would probably not be held personally liable for mistakes as long as the organization is not engaged in an activity that is illegal and as long as there is not negligence involved in the performance of the advisor’s function. The use of common sense is one’s best guide to determine what needs to be done in the event that an activity is potentially dangerous or unethical. An advisor who utilizes appropriate techniques to insure the safety of the participants will usually not be judged liable should a participant become injured.

When issues arise, the opinions of the advisor should be sought and given proper consideration.
Although the advisor is not responsible for policy making, s/he may make recommendations and should expect that these will be considered. The literature on student organization advising suggests three main functions of responsibility for advisors. These functions are: (1) maintenance or custodial of the organization; (2) group growth and leadership; and (3) program content and coordination. The advisor will perform certain functions within any of the three categories. The three categories, as described, provide a classification, a rationale, and validity to group advising.

Maintenance or Custodial Functions include those activities that help maintain the group and minimize the difficulties it encounters. The advisor serves as a link to the past, interprets university policies, and helps the group maintain a positive image. It is recognized that any of these activities may call for careful consideration by the advisor and a great deal of working with the officers or members of the organization.

Group Growth & Leadership Functions are those that are designed to aid the group in improving its effectiveness in operations and to help it progress towards its goals. Activities that may fall within this category are teaching techniques of leadership, helping the officers understand the principle of organization and administration, helping the group develop self-discipline and a sense of responsibility, stimulating activities, and helping the group concentrate on its goals. The advisor may introduce new objectives and help the group attain its own established goals.

Program Content & Coordination Functions may be seen as an expansion of the group growth functions. The advisor should assume an active role by introducing new program ideas and insisting that the group do more than just maintain itself. The advisor may urge the group to develop programs with an intellectual flavor and help the members to exercise classroom and learned skills. A key role of the advisor is to enhance the thinking of the group by pointing out new perspectives, providing ideas for new projects and supplying expert knowledge.

The advisor’s activities may fall within any of these categories as the situation dictates. There are various types of groups with different objectives; consequently, the advisor functions may differ from organization to organization. Also, because new circumstances and environmental factors may arise, the advisor may find that his/her approach and activities will change throughout the year. Advisors should not allow their groups to become dependent upon them and their decisions, but they should work toward becoming accepted as participants and as part of the decision making process of their organizations.

Consequently, all of the suggestions are made to remind as well as instruct. It is important that the relationship between the organization and advisor be mutually satisfactory. Each can learn from the other, and benefit from this relationship.

Terms of Service for Advisors return to top
It is customary for organizations to choose and advisor for an academic year. At the end of this time, and organization may decide to reappoint the advisor with his/her approval or select a new advisor. However, and organization is free to choose to have an advisor for an indefinite term of service. An exception to this involves the advisors to certain major status organizations which have the advising responsibility written into their position description.

When an organization becomes interested in acquiring a new advisor, it is very important for that organization to keep in mind the challenges involved in doing so. Organizations should make sure to line up a new advisor well enough in advance of the start of a new school year in order to have the time necessary to secure the interest of the individual.

Both the advisor and the organization should understand the term of office. The recommended procedure is that each year when new officers are elected, the advisor should also be selected. After the advisor agrees to serve, s/he must sign the advisor’s agreement form (Student Organization Registration Form), which must be submitted to the Student Activities Office by October 1st of each academic year. There may be circumstances/situations when an organization might consider having two people serve as advisors to their organization.

Every group on campus is different, and so is every advisor. The best way to settle on mutual expectations is to sit down and talk with each other. It’s always in everyone’s best interest to keep communication lines open. If difficulties do arise which cannot be worked out, feel free to contact the Student Activities office for assistance. The Student Activities Office has knowledge and expertise in working with student groups. It is through continuous and open dialogue between the Student Activities Office and organization advisors that the greatest amount of assistance can be given to advisors. Students should never feel that advisors are being intrusive, but rather know that they are there as a resource and are always willing to act as a mediator for any of their conflicts.

The Role of An Advisor return to top
1. Attend Student Organization Advisor Training sessions as offered by the Student Activities Office.
2. Attend executive board and organization meetings on a regular basis.
3. Accompany organizations when attending off-campus meetings, conferences, conventions or any other activity where the organization is representing the University.
4. Monitor the financial accounts of the origination and approve monetary requests for the organization for both university funds and private account funds.
5. Sign all reservation confirmation forms for events and meetings planned by the organization.
6. Assist the organization in learning how to effectively run meetings, solve problems and negotiate the university system.
7. Resolve conflicts between members as needed.
8. Request assistance from the Student Activities Office.

Advisor Advantages return to top
Single Advisor
• Give an organization undivided attention
• Direct energy to the organization
• Provide consistency
• Gets to know and fully understand the orgnization’s dynamics, executive board, and membership

Co-Advisors
• Share workload for advising
• Double the brainpower and feedback opportunities
• Provide varied perspecitives
• Can work specifically with members of leadership or particular programs

Retaining An Advisor Over the Years
• Provides continuity and stability
• More easily provide advice on history of organizational affairs
• Establishing rapport is generally easier when the organization has observed the advisor’s performance over a period of time

Changing Advisors
• This allows more faculty or staff members to have the opportunity to serve as advisors
• Allows for some sharing of the advising load
• A new viewpoint, a fresh and perhaps more creative approach is possible with new advisors.
• There is also the possibility that some members of an organization know members of the faculty or staff that they would like to have involved with their organization.