STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS & ACTIVITIES

Any faculty, staff, or paid graduate student (must be employed by NU) who plans to be working for the full academic year is eligible to advise a registered student organization. Of course, unexpected life situations come up, and if that happens, SOA will work with your student group to find a replacement. But, if you know you will be on sabbatical or another extended leave for the year, the advisor role may not be right for you.

The time commitment involved with advising a student organization varies greatly. In some cases, the obligation may only consist of a few face-to-face meetings per academic term. In other cases, advisors attend the student group's regular planning meetings, attend the group's events, and co-lead retreats for group officers or new members.

It is recommended the advisor meet with a student representative at least a few times per quarter to discuss the group's initiatives, progress, and goals. For groups with institutional funding or who put on large-scale events, weekly meetings may be necessary. Many groups will email advisors with questions or asking about availability. A conversation with a student representative early in the relationship regarding your availability and time commitment can be helpful in setting expectations, boundaries, and maintaining a positive and successful advising relationship.

Advisors are also encouraged to attend group events as they are able such as a new exec board meeting where new faces are introduced, planning retreats to start the year, or a group's signature annual event to show support for what your students do.

Advising should be a fulfilling and low-stress commitment. If you advise a group, student members may have a financial account with the Student Organization Finance Office (SOFO), use institutional resources to travel (such as Motorpool or service vans), and plan events with contract procedures. Student Organizations & Activities staff is here to answer your questions regarding campus policies and guidelines. We ask that you connect with your student org at least once per quarter (or more as meets org needs) to discuss org’s goals, major events/activities, individual roles, and challenges, and it is especially important to be kept in the loop during org leadership transition, which typically takes place during the spring quarter.

SOA offers optional trainings/sessions throughout the academic year on topics advisors express concerns or learning gaps. Additionally, you will have access to online resources such as messages through the advisor Listserv and more.

There is no limit on the number of groups you can advise. However, it is recommended for a first-time advisor to start with the responsibility of one group to get a sense of the time commitment and energy needed to advise. Note that different groups require different levels of support or time commitment from their advisor. This may impact the overall amount of time spent advising.

• Get to know students who you may not have otherwise interacted with in your professional role
• Serve as a mentor for students as they seek guidance and advice
• Support the leadership development of undergraduate students
• Get invited to fun events led by your student org

To learn about how to become an advisor, click here.