Advisors play an important role in the functioning and development of our students and registered student organizations (RSO).
Our Advisor Manual is a comprehensive look at the various aspects of advising filled with helpful links, advising best practices, and much more.
SLI seeks to provide resources, tips, and information to help you best support your organization and work toward becoming a dynamic RSO Advisor. Please contact rso@mtu.edu with any questions regarding RSO Advising.
Advising is a developmental process. Advisors share ideas, give a varied perspective,
and facilitate life-long learning for academic, personal, and professional development.
An advisor serves as a support person, a role model for students, providing a sense
of direction for the student organization, and promoting student and faculty/staff
interaction in, and out of, the classroom.
An advisor also provides the support necessary for the student leaders to build, and
maintain, a successful organization. An advisor provides continuity and keeps RSO
members and the campus community informed of the history of the organization. The
advisor does not control the RSO, and does not make all the decisions for the students,
but instead provides a balanced perspective so students can make informed decisions.
A few of the expectations of an advisor include:
- Maintaining regular contact and involvement with the officers of their RSO. The exact time commitment is up to you.
- Being knowledgeable about the missions, goals, and purpose of the RSO
- Helping the group uphold Michigan Tech’s policies and guidelines
- Being familiar and involved with activities and events of the RSO
- Providing resources and support for events and usage of spaces
- Assisting with the administration of the financial affairs of the group
Advisors take on different responsibilities depending on the needs of their organization. Advisors and student organizations should make needs and expectations known at the start of their partnership and establish regular times and means of communication early on. Some advisors are more involved in organizational planning and problem-solving, while others take more of a step back. It is important to remember that an advisor is NOT a supervisor. Here are some common roles of advisors:
- Mentor
- Role model
- Educator
- Institutional policy interpreter
- Resource
- Brainstorming Partner
- Liaison between the organization and university administration
Advisors must be full-time faculty or staff members of Michigan Technological University.
- Satisfaction of seeing and helping students learn and develop new skills
- Increased student interaction
- Personal development and growth in an area of interest through choosing to be involved with a club you're interested in
- Sharing one’s knowledge with others
- Helping diverse groups of students work toward common goals
- Taking part in exciting and meaningful student activities outside of the classroom or office environment