Student Organization Manual > Advising

Faculty/Staff Advisor and Student Leader Expectations of the Division of Student Affairs

The Division of Student Affairs (DSA) will:

• provide advisors and student leaders with their respective registered student organizations’ constitutions and/or by-laws from University files, and assist them in making revisions, as/when needed;
• provide advisors and student leaders with information regarding their rights and responsibilities under the law and under University rules and regulations (e.g., the Information Manual for Registered Student Organizations, annual Clery Act training, etc.);
• provide advisors and student leaders with opportunities to develop a better sense of shared responsibility for the realization of student organizations’ purpose, identity and objectives in keeping with the mission, philosophy, policies and procedure of the University ;
• provide advisors and student leaders with information about available resources and opportunities for  their respective organizations’ fulfillment of their stated missions1 and contact information of the people available for consultation;  and
• publicize the materials, resources, and expertise the Division has available to support advisors and student leaders. (All advisors and student leaders will be formally introduced to the resources maintained on the DSA website.)

Expectations of the Student Leaders of Registered Student Organizations

Student Leaders:

• must know and adhere to the University’s rules and regulations regarding registered student organizations;
• must know the legal responsibilities of La Salle and its student leaders under the Clery Act and other applicable laws pertinent to the registered student organization’s activities;
• must provide the Leadership Development Coordinator with current lists of leadership and documents that govern their organizations and describe the groups’ activities, events and programs for the University’s files;
• must be familiar with their registered student organizations’ constitutions and/or by-laws;
• should meet periodically and communicate regularly with their organizations’ advisor(s) to, inter alia: establish mutual expectations; set realistic goals for the academic year; identify opportunities for maintenance and growth of the organization; assess problems and identify solutions; and plan for activities and programs to foster the mission, purpose and identity of the registered student organization;
• must be fiscally responsible with their University budgets and, if applicable, their management of non-University resources, and be open with their advisor(s) about the management of those resources;
• must read and be familiar with the materials provided to them by the Leadership Development Coordinator via regular e-mail summaries and other means; and
• shall manage their registered student organizations in a manner that complies with the law and with University rules and regulations.

Expectations of Faculty/Staff Advisors

Advisors aim to help students develop leadership skills and a sense of communal responsibility. To achieve these objectives, advisors should:

• be knowledgeable about and adhere to La Salle’s policies and procedures listed in the La Salle Student Guide to Resources, Rights and Responsibilities (SGRRR) and Information Manual for Student Organizations (IMSO), and any other published document  pertaining to student organizations, and inform the respective student organization’s executive board members of their responsibility to do the same;
• support compliance with all University rules and regulations, and consult with DSA staff with respect to known and suspected violations of policies;
• refer questions concerning University policies and procedures to the DSA when the answer is not readily discernible from the SGRRR and IMSO;
• report to the DSA serious violations of University policies and procedures by the registered student organization and/or its members;
• know the legal responsibilities of La Salle and its agents under the Clery Act and other applicable laws pertinent to the respective registered student organization’s activities;
• assess the inherent risks, if any, of the student organization’s activities and educate oneself about institutional policies and procedures and state and federal laws that may apply to those activities;
• be familiar with their respective registered student organizations’ constitutions and/or by-laws as well as the organizations’ mission, purpose and history on campus;
• clarify their role as an advisor to the group, assist the organization’s officers in understanding their duties and responsibilities, and define mutual expectations;
• take an active role in advising the student organization by, inter alia, meeting  and communicating regularly with the student leaders of the registered student organizations they advise;
• foster communication with the organization’s executive board in order to remain informed of all activities sponsored and held by the student organization;
• offer guidance to the organization on realistic goal setting, organization management, program planning, problem solving and group evaluation;
• provide continuity to the student organization’s mission and purpose from year to year in order to help the organization maintain its identity and foundation while promoting diversity, discussion and creativity within the group;
• advise and consult with their respective registered student organizations to ensure that they are being fiscally responsible with their University budgets and, if applicable, maintain awareness of their respective organizations’ management of non-University resources;
• read and be familiar with the materials provided to them by the Leadership Development Coordinator via regular e-mail summaries and other means; and
• take advantage of development opportunities that will aid in successfully addressing issues that may arise (e.g., managing conflict between and among members of a registered student organization, developing strategies to help students better organize, etc.)

Whenever an advisor is uncertain about or unable to meet the expectations described above, they should consult with designated staff members within the Division of Student Affairs.