Resources for Student Organization Advisors

*Please send any suggestions you have for this page's content to involvement@kutztown.edu. 

The goal of the following information is to assist you as you master the role of an organization’s advisor.

While students are responsible for starting and maintaining a student organization, it is often the advisor that supports the group’s continuity from year to year.  Kutztown University requires that all student organizations have an advisor, either chosen by the group or appointed by the University.  Every registered organization needs at least one full time faculty or staff member to fulfill the responsibilities of an advisor.   The relationship between organization members and advisor is very important to the success of the organization.

Benefits of Being an Advisor

• The advisor-organization relationship can be an extremely positive experience.

• Opportunity to get to know students on an individual basis

• Satisfaction of contributing to students’ development

• Opportunity to impact the KU community on a different level

• Share an area of expertise

• Learn about student interests

• Valuable and quantifiable curriculum vitae and resume material

Advisors: Where do they fit?

The advisor(s) can serve as a universal resource, friend, an advocate, role model, historian, and numerous other roles as defined by the group.  S/he contributes specific information and knowledge in designing programs, provides continuity for the organization, serves as a liaison between campus constituents, and supports the organization’s development and activities. The role of an organizational advisor is often ambiguous.  Many times advisors must assist students with issues that represent conflict between student interests and University interests.  These conflicts usually come in the form of violations of University or Student Government policies and procedures to which your group is responsible to adhere to.  It is possible that this may cause some initial instances of confusion and ambiguity between your student leaders and advisor(s). The necessity of an advisor and importance of the work s/he does is worth any of these early conflicts that may or may not arise.

One of the main goals of the Office for Student Union and Involvement Services is working with student organizations to enhance their development and the impact they have on campus.  The advisor is a key element in this process and can support this effort by:

• Holding a general meeting once a year for the purpose of explaining University policy to the entire membership (i.e., Cleary Act, reporting crimes to public safety; late night policy).

•  Assist in verifying eligibility of all of your members.  Officers must maintain a minimum Q.P.A. of 2.0 and general members must remain in good academic standing (i.e., not on judicial warning or probation).  All members must be in good disciplinary standing. 

•  Assume the role of devils’ advocate as you consider programs and activities.  Advisors have a great deal of knowledge and experience that can help the club grow.

• Provide explanations of University policy when relevant to the discussion.

Expectations of an Advisor

• To be kept aware of all your organization’s activities and events. Communication is key to any relationship.

• To have meetings with them on a regular basis. This helps establish and maintain lines of communication.

• To respect student leaders, general members, and fellow advisor(s).

• To solve problems in an efficient and proper manner.

• To read over and sign various forms.

• To have the opportunity to be heard on relevant topics and during decision making processes.

• To not be responsible for running the group (remember, that’s why they call it a  student organization).

Student leaders and advisors must interact with one another in a variety of ways.  As a result, it is very important that both the advisor and the organization understand what is expected from each other.  Clearly defining roles and responsibilities is a critical step in achieving success as a group.  Effective and consistent communication will greatly reduce uncertainty and frustration for both the organization and the advisor.

Important Advisor Duties

One of the intangible roles an advisor plays is in protecting the University. As advisor, you should help make sure the actions of the organization are appropriate and will not cause harm or embarrassment to the organization, the University, or both.

Attendance

Advisors are encouraged to attend as many of the organization’s activities as possible, as well as meetings.  This is a great way to motivate the organization and its members.  Sometimes just your moral support is enough to push an event from being mediocre to being a great success!

Signing forms

Organization registration, room reservations, purchase requests, etc. Keep in mind that your signature indicates your support of the program or purchase and awareness of the organization’s activity, therefore it is vital that you fully endorse any information that includes your signature.

Reviewing Contracts

 The advisor should review a contract, but remember that the Office for Student Involvement will review the contract and have it signed on the organization’s behalf.  Students  and advisors are not allowed to sign contracts.

Advisors are encouraged to:

• Attend social events, service projects, and meetings if appropriate.

• Help or advise the organization on how to handle situations that arise when planning events.

• Act as a liaison with professional organizations that may support the organization.

• Provide ideas for creating new social functions.

• Provide assistance in managing the organization’s budget and financial matters.

Routine Roles of an Advisor

Advisors play an integral and important role for their organizations. The organization should count on the advisor to be there for the organization, to offer advice when needed, and to impart wisdom when appropriate, among other duties. Being an advisor is not always easy, but can be very rewarding.

Mentor - Often times, the advisor will slide into the role of mentor to some of the members. 

Supervisor - There will be times when the advisor will need to “supervise” the group as they work to make the organization as productive as possible. As a supervisor, the advisor will assist the organization with team building, evaluation, planning, communication and performance.

Teacher - Remember, as advisor, you are an educator and should make the most of “teachable moments.” Use these opportunities to expand the organization’s knowledge outside of the classroom.

Leader - An advisor should lead by example. 

Support Services for Student Organizations and Advisors

Don’t feel like you have to do it all yourself! There are many resources you may utilize to aid your organization in meeting your goals. From checklists to audio-visual equipment to programming dollars, the following departments offer services to assist you:

Student Union and Involvement Services Office

This administrative office works very closely with student organizations and can be your greatest ally. By serving as the first point of contact for groups that wish to register with the University, the Office can assist you with registration, recruitment and retention of members and/or advisors, or the general maintenance of your group.

Student Union & Involvement Services: Involvement     MSU Room 153       610-683-1383  http://involvement.kutztown.edu

·         Commonly Used Forms- These can be found in MSU 153 which consist of but not limited to: Intent to Organize, Student Organization Registration, Vendor lists, Solicitation. Additional forms for special services in the MSU and other reservation logistics are available via the MSU building portal found at http://msu.kutztown.edu

·         Graphic Design Service- Posters, table tents, buttons and flyers can be designed free of charge for student organizations and / or their events.

·         Equipment Reservation- Button making, popcorn machine, hotdog roller, a megaphone and portable sound system are available for organization use.

·         Late night event planning- Assistance is available for planning a late night event.

·         Maintain files for registered student organizations- Updates to bi-laws and constitutions should be filed in MSU 153 upon SGA approval. Current documents are kept on file.

·         Mailboxes- Student organization mailboxes are available for organizations use.

·         Sales and Solicitations- Organizations wishing to conduct any sale or organized solicitation may reserve table space in one of the 6 table spaces inside and 1 table outside of the MSU.  Additional spaces are available at the Old Main concourse and South Dining Hall. A solicitation form must be completed and submitted.

·         Student Organization Meetings- Held at the beginning of each Fall semester, these meetings cover general information about KUSSI and the SUIS services offered—recommended for student organizations and advisors.

·         Involvement Fairs- These take place at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters and at each of the CONNECTIONS orientations in June.

·         PSECU and MSU Advisory Board Grants- Information and applications are available in MSU 153 and 274. 

 Student Union & Involvement Services: Operations    MSU Room 274   610-683-4087 http://msu.kutztown.edu

·         Event Logistics- Room set-up and technical services for events in the MSU are coordinated through MSU 274.

·         Banner Advertising-The MSU atrium can be used by student organizations for advertising. Forms to reserve this space can be found in MSU 274.

·         Carousel TV- Student organizations and University departments can post slides on Carousel TV Messaging System in the MSU for events taking place in the MSU. A Carousel TV Account is necessary. Registration forms can be found in MSU 274.

·         Technical Services Support- Technical services staff is available for programs held in the MSU. To request a support staff member you must fill out form in MSU 274. There is a $15 per hour charge for this service.

·         PSECU and MSU Advisory Board Grants- Information and applications are available in MSU 153 and 274. 

 Student Union & Involvement Services: Information Desk   610-683-4087  http://msu.kutztown.edu

·         Ticket Sales and Distribution- Information Desk sells and distributes tickets for events that take place on campus.  If a group or office wishes to have an event ticketed, a form must be completed at least one month prior to the date desired for tickets to be distributed. 

·         Posting Advertisements-The Information Desk personnel will post advertisements in the MSU.  Three copies may be given to the information desk for approval and posting.

 DINING SERVICES

Refreshments for an event can be ordered from Dining Services. They will make arrangements to have the ordered food delivered to your location or you can pick it up and save some money. Contact the Food Service Catering Director for a complete listing of available refreshments and charges at x34680. Food arrangements made with someone other than Food Services requires their approval.

FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

There are certain items, such as access to power and the setup of chairs and table in outdoor ven­ues, which must be obtained through a work order sent to the Facilities Management Office.  Request should be submitted by an advisor through the TMA  iService work order system, found at  http://workorders.kutztown.edu/ .  Special requests need to be directed to the Director of Facilities, Kim Rhode-Harris at x34120.

KUTZTOWN UNIVERSITY STUDENT SERVICES, INCORPORATED (KUSSI)

A non-profit corporation affiliated with Kutztown University and authorized by the university president to administer certain auxiliary operations for the benefit of KU students, KUSSI is an administrative area responsible for overseeing the financial operation of Student Government Association-related funds.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION RECOGNITION PROCESS

Whether you are searching for answers about how to get a budget from the Student Government Association or planning on creating a constitution in order to apply for Student Government Association-recognition, the KUSSI Auxiliary Services Office will explain the process to you and provide you with the necessary paperwork. Not only can they answer your questions, but they can also help you by providing you with a sample constitution.

FINANCIAL MATTERS

Student Activity Fee --If you have successfully applied for a budget from the Student Government Board, the monies from which your budget is generated is the Student Activity Fee. KUSSI coordinates the collection of this fee and implements the allocations that SGB makes from this fund.

Account Management --The KUSSI Accounting Office also will help you manage your Budget Account and Private Account. Budget accounts are those accounts that are provided to SGA-sponsored student organizations. Private accounts are where you place money generated from fundraisers and the collection of dues.

Budget Process Coordination/Collection --Each year, SGA-sponsored groups can request a budget from the SGB for the following academic year. The KUSSI Accounting Office coordinates the distribution and collection of budget request materials from eligible groups.

Bill Payment – When you need to buy supplies or pay other bills, the KUSSI Accounting Office can generate (tax exempt) purchase orders for your group. They also will collect the receipts from your expenses and generate checks for you.

Additional Allocations/Conference Requests --If you need to request additional funding from the SGB, then KUSSI is the place to go to get these forms.

SGA Vehicle Reservations/Copy Machine Access --If you are a registered organization through SGA with Maroon or Gold Status you have the right to use the KUSSI minivans and copy machine for organizational purposes.   Student groups who are not Maroon or Gold Status can request copies at the MSU Information Desk.  Up to 100 copies may be made per purpose or event.

     KUSSI - Kutztown University Student Services, Inc.

• Budget and Finance Policies and Procedures
• Budget and Finance Infraction Policy
• Conference Policy
• KUSSI Student Guide
• KUSSI Accounting Services
• SGB Vehicle Policy
• SGB Ticket Sales Policy

UNIVERSITY PRODUCTION SERVICES

Do you need lights, chairs, stage, or a sound system? Production assistance is available!  The University Production Manager can assist with your production inquiries. The Manager is able to advise organizations regarding sound, lighting, and technical requirements. Additionally, if student organizations are interested in reserving Schaeffer Auditorium for their event planning needs, the Manager can help them with their request. For more information or technical assistance, you can contact Greg Kokolus in Schaeffer Auditorium at X34522.