Advisor Resources

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What is an Advisor?

Advisors are an extremely important asset to a chapter’s success. Advisors provide guidance and support to the chapter and chapter officers in several areas of operation. It is important that advisors foster the development of the chapter as a whole as well as individual officers and members. The advisor provides continuity to the organization as the membership and officers change. An advisor should be familiar with the policies and regulations of the chapter, inter/national organization, University of Houston-Downtown, and relevant state and federal laws.

Types of Advisors

• Faculty/Staff Advisor: Registered student organizations must have an Advisor who is either a full-time member of the faculty (including emeritus), or full-time professional staff at the UHD. The advisor serves as the liaison between the University and organization. This person does not have to be a member of a Greek organization to serve in this role. Advisors must hold a position of “Director” level or below.
• Chapter/Alumni/Graduate Advisor: This advisor is usually selected by the chapter or inter/national organization, and is typically affiliated with the Greek organization.

Responsibilities of a Faculty/Staff Advisor

• Provide guidance and advice to the chapter
• Meet with the chapter president at least once a semester to discuss important chapter information
• Be knowledgeable about University policies and procedures such as the UHD Student Code of Conduct
• Sign all documents that require an advisor signature for the institution
• Serve as an on-campus connector to relevant resources and services

Responsibilities of a Chapter/Alumni/Graduate Advisor

• Provide guidance and advice to the chapter
• Attend chapter/executive meetings when needed or as expected
• Advise chapter officers
• Meet regularly with the chapter president and other officers to discuss important chapter issues
• Actively communicate with chapter members, UHD Greek Life staff, regional/province offices, and inter/national headquarters as required
• Be knowledgeable about procedures and policies associated with the inter/national organization * Role may be defined by inter/national organization and may require more than the responsibilities listed above.

Tips for Faculty/Staff Advisors

• Consider joining and becoming involved in the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA)
• Use Office of Student Leadership and Involvement & UHD Greek Life as a resource
• Access University resources and connect chapter members to these resources
• Determine which mode of communication works best when interacting with chapter members (email, phone calls, in-person meetings, text messaging, etc.)
• Create a trusting relationship with chapter officers by building rapport
• Serve as a positive role model to chapter members
• Let the group know you’re there to help and assess their needs
• Respond to all questions and request for help in a timely manner
• Assist the chapter in developing an academic support program that helps encourage individual and collective success
• Encourage chapter members to participate in leadership development opportunities at UHD
• Initiate communication with the chapter/alumni/graduate advisor, regional/province officer and/or inter/national headquarters to provide your contact and background information and solicit accurate names for local and regional contact people
• Connect with UHD Greek Life staff in the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement for additional advisor resources and support

Tips for Chapter/Alumni/Graduate Chapter Advisors

• Consider joining and becoming involved in the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors (AFA)
• Obtain a copy of the chapter and inter/national organization’s Risk Management and Hazing Prevention policies
• Determine which mode of communication works best when interacting with chapter members (email, phone calls, in-person meetings, text messages, etc.)
• Use Office of Student Leadership and Involvement & UHD Greek Life as a resource
• Assist the chapter in regularly setting realistic goals and reviewing progress
• Respond to all questions and request for help in a timely manner
• Create a trusting relationship with chapter officers by building rapport
• Challenge the chapter to grow and develop and then support them in their endeavors
• Know what the chapter expects from you as an advisor and make clear what you expect from them as chapter members
• Ask to receive all meeting agendas and minutes
• Encourage chapter members to participate in leadership development opportunities provided by the international organization and/or UHD
• Provide chapters with support when it comes to recruitment/intake
• Ask questions to determine the culture of the campus and Greek community
• Be actively involved in the UHD Alumni network

If you have suggestions for content, please communicate those suggestions to Jose Vazquez, Assistant Director of Student Leadership and Involvement, at vazquezjo@uhd.edu.