Information for Advisors

The Advisor Role

Becoming a student organization advisor is a wonderful way to connect with students and contribute to their growth and wellbeing. The role of the advisor may vary between different groups. Expectations should be negotiated between the group’s student leaders and the advisor at the start of the relationship.

Some typical advisor responsibilities are:

• Attending group meetings and events
• Monitoring the group’s budget and expenses
• Meeting regularly with officers
• Providing guidance to organization officers about university policies and procedures
• Creating meeting agendas
• Assisting group leadership with goal-setting
• Providing continuity through group leadership transitions

The advisor and group leadership should collaborate to establish a shared “level of agreement” which will serve as the blueprint for establishing mutual expectations, roles and responsibilities. The Advisor Expectations and Roles Checklist is a document intended to guide these conversations.

The Office of Student Engagement offers periodic workshops for Student Organization Advisors. Join our mailing list to find out more!