Advisor Resources

Responsibilities of student organization advisors

Each registered Student Organization is strongly encouraged to have at least one part-time or full-time TWU faculty/staff advisor. When faculty/staff accept the role of advisor to student organizations, they agree to accept certain responsibilities to the university. These include but are not limited to the following:

Be certain that an authorized university representative (or advisor) is present at any activity involving travel or large events involving 100 or more persons;
Be certain of the content and manner of all scheduled programs, so they are presented in a format congruent with university policies;
Communicate and explain federal, state, and local regulations which are applicable to the functions and activities of the organization
Meet with the Center for Student Development staff, as needed, to review and discuss any problems, ideas, or suggestions
Maintain contact with relevant university officers and national organization officers if an affiliation exists;
Authorize all renewal forms and risk management forms and policies
Be aware of all scheduled events and preferably be in attendance.

Do you want to become an advisor for a student organization at TWU?

Please fill out the Student Organization Advisor Interest form if you would like to express interest in becoming an advisor in the future. We are collecting this list in hopes of connecting you to new or existing organizations looking to fill their advisor role.

Suggestions for advisors

Depending on the needs of a student organization, advisors typically serve multiple roles, including but not limited to the role of supervisor, follower, mentor, facilitator, and educator. Here are some best practices to consider when interacting with your students:

Do:

Be knowledgeable about policies and serve as a resource
Develop strong working relationships with officers and members
Read the student organization’s constitution
Empower students to take action in seeing the student organization succeed or fail
Assist in resolving intragroup conflict
Discuss concerns with officers in private; praise them in public

Don’t:

Run the student organization meetings
Be afraid to let the group try new ideas
Assume veto power over group decisions
Serve as primary recruiter for new members
Step in to “solve” every problem
Assume the organization doesn’t require your guidance and assistance

Additional advisor resources

American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Advisor Manual (pdf)

Resources

Important Forms:

Student Organization Risk Management Policy

Page last updated 9:53 AM, August 20, 2024