Each officially recognized student organization must have a university advisor who is either a faculty member or professional staff member who is an employee of the Cal State LA or its auxiliaries. Part-time faculty and professional staff are eligible to serve as advisors. The Vice President for Student Life or designee may remove an advisor from their student organization-related responsibilities as needed to ensure that the educational purpose of student organizations is met, or in the interests of student health, safety and welfare.
Advisors take on different responsibilities depending on the needs of their organization. It is important to remember that an advisor is not an administrator, executive officer or leader of the organization. Some common roles of the advisors are as a mentor, team builder, motivator, role model, educator, institutional policy interpreter, source of information and ideas, and liaison between the organization and university administration.
The duties and expectations of an advisor include maintaining regular contact and involvement with the officers of their student organizations, being knowledgeable about the missions, goals, and purpose of the student organization, helping the group understand the university's policies and guidelines, being familiar and involved with activities and events of the group, and being available to provide resources and support for events and usage of spaces, and to consult with respect to the administration of the financial affairs of the group in general.
For more information on your role as an advisor, please contact the Center for Student Involvement at [email protected].
Advisors are encouraged to review the material available on Presence for the Organizational Development Course (ODC), which all presidents and treasurers must complete. This material includes:
- Student organization policies and procedures
- Event reservation and registration policies and procedures
- Food at events
- ASI funding
- Club banking
- Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Resources Training