Student Organization Advisor Resources

Thank you for your interest in student organizations at UW–Eau Claire!

Over 200 student organizations make UWEC a place where students can find a sense of community and belonging, and advisors play a critical role to the success of these organizations.

Explore this page to find resources to assist in advising your student organization. If you have additional questions, email us at activities@uwec.edu.

Advisor FAQs

  • Who is eligible to serve as a primary UWEC student organization advisor?

    Any current on-campus UW–Eau Claire faculty or staff member may serve as a primary student organization advisor. Part-time employees, remote employees, graduate assistants, alumni, and off-campus representatives may serve only as co-advisors.

  • What is the time commitment?

    An advisor's time commitment varies depending on the student organization. Before agreeing to serve as an advisor, faculty and staff should meet with the organization's leaders to discuss responsibilities, expectations, and the level of involvement needed. Once both parties have a shared understanding of the role and time commitment, you can decide whether advising the organization is a good fit.

  • What should I do if my organization isn't performing well?

    Remember that student organizations are student-led and student-run. Your role is to guide, support, and encourage students as they work toward their goals—not to do the work for them. Allow students the opportunity to solve problems, make decisions, and learn from their experiences. These challenges help them develop the leadership and organizational skills that will benefit them well beyond college.

Dos & Don'ts

Being an advisor can be an extremely rewarding experience, but when your student organization is struggling, it can be challenging.

Below are some dos and don'ts to remember while filling your role as a student organization advisor.

  • Do...

    • Serve as a resource
    • Interpret and clarify university policies
    • Suggest program ideas
    • Allow the group to succeed
    • Allow the group to fail
    • Teach leadership skills
    • Discuss concerns with officers privately and praise them publicly
    • Help students find a balance between activities and academics
    • Encourage feedback and evaluations
    • Help resolve conflict
    • Meet with officers and help them establish goals

  • Don't...

    • Micromanage the organization
    • Run organization meetings or events
    • Use veto power over organization decisions
    • Say "I told you so"
    • Break promises
    • Be unavailable
    • Be afraid to let the organization fail
    • Impose your own bias
    • Assume the organization handles everything okay and doesn't need you

Advisor Guidelines

  • Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) must have a current on campus UWEC Faculty/Staff Advisor. Faculty/Staff Advisors are full-time employees of UWEC. (Note: Advisors that are on Sabbatical leave may not serve, or continue serving as a student organization advisor. A replacement advisor must be assigned.)
  • It’s possible for a student organization to have co-advisors such as another department staff member, Graduate Assistants, UWEC retired staff members, LTE's/temporary staff, UWEC alumni members, or a community member as long as a primary on-campus UWEC Faculty/Staff advisor is maintained at all times.
  • The advisor role has no term limit, however, an advisor must confirm their role during the founding of the student organization as well as during the annual student organization re-registration process.
  • The Activities, Involvement, & Leadership office verifies advisor eligibilities.
  • Advisors may not sign contracts or agreements on behalf of the University for their student organizations.
  • Advisors do not have voting rights within the student organization.
  • Advisors may be removed from their role by the internal processes established within the organization's constitution, bylaws, or other governing documents of the specific student organization.
  • Faculty and staff members may serve as advisors to more than one student organization. However, when considering such commitments, they should carefully assess their capacity to maintain a balanced workload. It’s important to ensure that taking on additional responsibilities does not compromise their ability to provide effective and efficient advising to each organization they support.

Advisor Agreements

By accepting the primary advisor role, advisors agree to:

  • Act in the best interest of the student organization leaders and its members.
  • Confirm their advisor role during the new student organization registration and annual student organization re-registration processes.
  • Offer guidance to the student organization to ensure the group is following proper procedures and policies. Advisors may refer to the following resources for assistance:
  • Serve as a student organization officer within the organization's BlugoldConnect+ portal to receive relevant updates and important information.
  • Have regular conversations with the student organization and agree on a set of expectations for one another from the onset using the Student Organization Leader and Advisor Agreement Worksheet. Completing this worksheet any time there's a change in student organization leadership will help maintain a consistent, high-quality relationship.
  • Maintain regular communication to ensure awareness and be informed about what is happening with the student organization.
  • Notify the Activities, Involvement, and Leadership Office when the advisor role ends. (Important note: Student organizations will be allotted a 2-month grace period to find a replacement advisor. Should an advisor not be replaced within this timeframe, the student organization will become inactive.)

The Student Involvement Center appreciates the work you do to support student organizations at UWEC. Please contact activities@uwec.edu should you have any questions.