Club advisors are essential partners who help student leaders understand and follow college policies. Their primary purpose is to guide students in making informed decisions, ensuring all club activities — from meetings to fundraisers and travel — are aligned with institutional policies and procedures. An advisor's role is to empower students to lead their own organizations, not to manage the club for them.
To fulfill this role, advisors must:
- Be a current 91ɬÂþ employee.
- Complete annual club advisor training.
- Advise club members on club policies and ensure they are followed.
- Guide students in planning club events, fundraisers, and travel.
- Follow all policies and procedures outlined in the Club Handbook.
While advisors provide crucial guidance, they must not overstep their role and impede student autonomy. The freedom to associate and the freedom of speech are fundamental rights for student clubs. Therefore, advisors should not:
- Dictate club activities, events, or travel plans: Students are responsible for planning and executing their own activities. The advisor's role is to ensure these plans comply with college policy.
- Make decisions on behalf of the club: The club's officers and members are the final decision makers.
- Interfere with students' freedom of speech or association: Advisors must allow students to determine their own beliefs and purpose, even if they hold different views.
- Manage club finances or social media: While they can provide guidance on these matters, students are responsible for the day-to-day management of their club's assets and communications.
During the semester or academic year, a club advisor may need to step down or be removed from their role. Regardless of the case, clubs are required to find a new advisor within 15 business days from the date of departure from the previous advisor.
Clubs in search of a new club advisor may be subject to the following:
- May not be able to host events or activities until a club advisor is found.
- May not be able to make monetary transactions until a club advisor is found.
Clubs that do not fill the club advisor role by the deadline will be subject to the following:
- Club status will be changed from active to inactive, and the club will lose their recognition for the remainder of the semester.
- The club can reapply for recognition and active status during the next open enrollment window, pending an advisor has been identified.
Removal
If club leaders and members want to remove their club advisor, it is the choice and decision of the club. The Office of Student Engagement encourages club leaders to meet with the club advisor to discuss any potential concerns. Miscommunication is often an issue and can easily be resolved before escalating the concern further.
The process of selecting and removing an advisor is required to be outlined in the club constitution. For club constitutions that do not specify this process, a majority vote of all club officers registered with the Office of Student Engagement shall determine the decision. Prior to the removal of any club advisor, this must be communicated to the Office of Student Engagement immediately.
Club leaders and members often participate and work closely with their advisors on projects, programming, and travel. It is imperative advisors and students maintain professional relationships. Any concerns should be communicated to the Office of Student Engagement at clubs@cwi.edu.
For more information on 91ɬÂþ’s Fraternization Policy, refer to HR 020 – Employee & Student Relationships / Fraternization.