Advisor Resources

Advisors of student organizations at TAMUQ are partners in the educational and developmental process for students who are members of these organizations. As an advisor, we know that you put in extra time and effort to assist your student organization, particularly the student leaders within your organization. This information is provided for you as a resource to assist you in the advising process. This information is continually updated, and we are working to add new advising resources.

What is the Role of an Advisor?
Advisors are first and foremost educators. In this role you will provide information, present alternatives, encourage responsibility, support creativity, and challenge students to develop as leaders. An advisor walks a fine line between leading an organization and giving the organization the ability to lead itself. Advisors should not assume a leadership position with voting power within the student organization.

Officer and Advisor Expectations
These are outlined to give you an idea of what may be expected of you as advisor, and what you may expect from student officers. This is not an absolute or complete list; the needs of any particular group will determine what expectations apply. It is suggested that advisors and student officers meet and discuss their own expectations of each other. To help you in this task, check out the Advisor Expectations Checklist, as adapted from the University of Florida.

What a Student Officer May Expect of an Advisor

• Assist the group in formulating goals, planning and initiating projects.
• Assistance with University policies and procedures.
• Assist in evaluating group projects, performance, and progress.
• Make suggestions that will empower officers to improve their leadership skills.

What an Advisor May Expect of a Student Officer

• Keep advisor informed of all organizational activities, meeting times, locations, and agendas.
• Provide advisor with minutes of all meetings.
• Meet regularly with the advisor and use him/her as a sounding board for discussing plans and problems.

Advising Suggestions
The suggestions listed below are to help advisors work more effectively with student organizations and officers.

• Point out issues relating to ideas presented by the officer without imposing bias.
• If an idea is inappropriate, the advisor should encourage the students to consider other alternatives.
• If the officer asks "What should we do?" or "What do you think?", the question should be rephrased and handed back to him/her. The advisor is there to assist but not to solve the problem for the student or organization.
• The officer should be encouraged to take an occasional chance on some less proven members in delegating authority.
• The advisor may want to periodically evaluate a student in his/her effectiveness as an officer. Likewise, occasional evaluations of the advisor by officers is encouraged.

*The preceding information has been adapted from the University of Arizona

If you have any questions about advising or would like more information, please contact emily.yates@qatar.tamu.edu