Best Practices for Supporting Student Organization Advisors Adam Burden, The Ohio State University Patrick Connelly, Smith College Judith Rowles, UNC - Charlotte

Learning Objectives Examples/models from three different institutions for advisor trainings that have been successful in preparing student organization advisors Relevant institutional policies for working with student organization advisors Legal issues related to student organization advisors The role of student organization advisors with their organizations Methods for recruiting student organization advisors and fostering successful relationships Various methods for recognizing student organization advisors

Smith College Private women's college 2,800 students 120 registered student organizations Centralized registration through the Office of Student Engagement and occurs annually at the end of April for the following academic year. Advisors are not required but can be mandated by the Office of Student Engagement. We encourage every organization to have a faculty/staff advisor and build that relationship into our forms and trainings. Advisors may be faculty, staff and individuals not affiliated with the college.

UNC Charlotte Public institution 25,000 students 350+ registered student organizations Centralized registration through the Student Organizations Office/Student Activities, done in coordination with the Student Government Association (ongoing or specific time?) All registered student organizations are required to have one faculty/staff advisor. (May have a maximum of two per organization.) No graduate students may be advisors. Groups may have a maximum of two non-affiliated advisors, in addition to the faculty/staff advisor(s).

The Ohio State University Public institution 50,000 students registered student organizations Centralized registration through the Student Activities office. Spring Window and Autumn Window; 2 ½ months long; Organizations select which Window to participate in All organizations are required to have one university faculty/staff advisor May have multiple co-advisors or non-affiliated advisors Graduate students and civil service staff not eligible to be Primary Advisors

Role of an Advisor University expectations – Minimum requirements (forms, meetings, approvals) – Can be volunteer or assigned – More hands on vs. broad oversight Student leader expectations – “Other duties as assigned” – Establish mutual expectations (conversation, contract) The University has minimal expectations for organization advisors; It is a “contract” between the organization and the advisor(s). – UNCC We ask & expect that advisors will support student leaders and organizations in higher level areas around student organizations (confrontation, consensus building, delegation, leadership roles) and leave the nitty gritty of program support and organization operations to our office. - Smith

Training UNCC – 1 workshop per month (not mandatory) – Conduct evaluations after each Advisor Training Workshop – Content? Ohio State – Required of all advisors every 2 years, offered weekly throughout the two registration Windows – Online recertification – Conduct evaluations after each training – Content includes student development theory, resources overview, and requirements Smith College – Annual workshop for advisors, not well attended. Not required, but encouraged – Main focus is to help them understand and develop a strong relationship with the organization and it's leader, to be a sounding board and feedback but not to provide leadership or direction.

Resources UNCC – Weekly s directly to all advisors – Weekly newsletter to all officers and advisors – Website – Student Organizations Handbook Ohio State – Weekly to all officers and advisor – Quarterly to all advisors – Website – Resource Room Smith College – Wiki instead of a handbook for advisors. – All advisors get a welcome and annual from our office with updates, changes and the link to the wiki. – We provide direct support from our office to student organizations in the areas of budgets/funding, programming, liability, contracts, etc.

Recognition & Recruiting Marketing this role on campuses – Advisors come in multiple ways – personal relationships with students, a relevant connection with colleagues, or assigned by a third party. – During “New Employee Training” for the University we have a presentation and give a handout encouraging new faculty/staff to become an advisor. – Send information out in the Faculty/Staff newsletter several times a year with information on contacting our office to become an advisor. Communication – Send list of organizations looking for advisors and basic requirements

Recognition & Recruiting Awards & Incentive programs – Open House Advisors Appreciation Breakfast each November - UNCC – Monthly Advisor Appreciation Meals - OSU – Students Noticing Advisor Participation and Support (SNAPS) Program - UNCC – End of the year “Excellence Awards” (UNCC), Leadership Awards (OSU), Student Award Reception (Smith) – Discount card to student organization advisors – Online profiles of advisors – OSU – s when recognized for other campus awards (Teaching Excellence, Research, Service) – OSU – Lunch at all of our advisor meetings - Smith – Annual Thank You - Smith

Policies & Legal Issues -Each University's relationship with student organizations – The institution requires student organizations to register but does not see them as an extension of the University – UNCC – Not a legal entity – OSU – Traditionally have been independently student run, without advising or official recognition and our office has no "official" authority over advisors. Students are fiercely independent and we struggle to have them follow the policies and procedures as well as see our office as a resource. - Smith Liability: The University takes no legal responsibility for student organizations, but will take responsibility for the faculty/staff advisors as they are employed by the University. Alcohol Hazing Gambling

Policies & Legal Issues FERPA Cleary Act Logo/trademark usage, copyright laws University posting policies Contracts Travel requirements Code of Conduct High Risk speakers or campus-wide activities Financial oversight (cash, bank accounts) Event Planning Space/noise/food

Programs unique to each institution UNCC – We do a survey to our presidents and advisors every other year and do a focus group on the years in between – There is a University workshop groups must attend to have alcohol at events.) – Contracts - Organizations must use a University generated contract. Ohio State – Advisor networking events – Legal referrals – Suicide prevention training – Conflict management tips Smith College – Monthly meeting with the cluster advisors to share tips, discuss common issues, lay out leadership topics for the coming month that we would like advisors to focus on

Special Sub-groups Sport Clubs – Coaches, advisors, both – Additional requirements and affiliations Fraternities & Sororities – Chapter advocates, house directors, Alumni Boards Religious Organizations – Campus outreach directors The Over-involved Advisors – “Are there any students in your student organization?”

Our “Wish List” Gaps & Things on the to-do list – Blog/interactive online community – A Student Organizations Advisors Handbook – A Student Organizations Advisory Board – Purchasing/outsourcing a management system for student organizations – Student Organization advising factoring into tenure and promotion – Advisor matching system – Streamlined archival process – Development accounts – Travel Funds – Annual Report Data Gathering – An active, engaged advisor culture on campus

Audience Participation What ideas can you share from your campus?

Questions?

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