Adviser Role

• Role & Responsibilities

  The role of the Adviser of a Registered Student Organization (RSO) is to provide guidance to the student organization(s) in operational functions, continuity between years and its adherence to University policies and procedures. For undergraduate only RSOs, the adviser must be a MSU faculty, staff or graduate student. For graduate RSOs, the adviser must be either a MSU faculty or staff member.  Advisers should approach the work in a way that empowers the students to critically think and work through the management of their organization.  

  Key responsibilities that are expected of Advisers are:

  1. To have reviewed the student organization constitution.
  2. To have reviewed the Registered Student Organization’s Handbook (RSOH) and this, the Advisers of Registered Student Organizations Handbook (ARSOH).
  3. To have an awareness and basic knowledge of federal, state, local, and Michigan State University (MSU) laws and ordinances, including but not limited to Clery Act and RVSM reporting responsibilities
  4. To understand the relationship between the organization, the MSU community and the greater East Lansing/Lansing 
  5. To undergo the annual mandatory Clery Act training
  6. To undergo the annual mandatory Relationship Violence and Sexual Misconduct training
  7. To be present and involved in official conduct cases involving the RSO
  8. To be present and involved in planning large scale events that anticipates an attendance of 200 or more participants including attending the event
  9. To be accessible to student organization members, especially officers of the group
  10. To engage with the RSO by frequently attending meetings and events as much as you are realistically able to manage
  11. To assist the organization with setting expectations and goals for the group
  12. To assist the organization with budgeting and financial affairs 
  13. To assist the organization in critically thinking through policy, procedural and operational facets, while supporting changes when necessary
  14. To assist with intragroup conflict through mediation and group problem solving
  15. To assist the group, as needed, with planning meetings and events
  16. To assist members in managing a balance with involvement, academics and other responsibilities they hold in their lives
  17. To share resources and information with officers of the organization

  For those Advisers working in a co-advising model with non-MSU advisers (fraternities and sororities, religious organizations etc.) we encourage you to advise within the scope of MSU, on campus events, alignment with MSU policies and procedures and ensuring adherence to Spartan Life. Many of the organization’s operational and directional pieces can be advised by the non-MSU adviser. Best practice is to work with your co-adviser and have open communication with them. If you’d like to meet with the RSO Team to help build out your co-advising model, please do not hesitate to reach out!

• Notification Settings

  Individuals can adjust notifications within their settings.

  You can do this by:

  1. Log into Involve@State at involve.msu.edu
  2. Click on the circle in the upper right corner that has either your uploaded photo or first initial
  3. In the menu, select “Account”
  4. In the menu, select "Notifications"
• Privacy Settings

  Individuals can adjust privacy within their settings.

  You can do this by:

  1. Log into Involve@State at involve.msu.edu
  2. Click on the circle in the upper right corner that has either your uploaded photo or first initial
  3. In the menu, select “Account”
  4. In the menu, select "Privacy Settings"

   

  However, we ask for the MSU community to have the following notification settings:

  1. If you are an officer, chair, adviser, etc. of an organization, it is expected that you have "Show" highlighted in blue for your repsective position(s).
  2. It is highly encouraged that all other roles be set for "Show" if at all possible. 
• Accepting the Adviser Role

  Upon being assigned the Adviser Role by a student officer, out-going Adviser or RSO Team Member in Involve@State, you will be emailed a prompt for you to accept the membership and role. In the process of accepting the role you will also be accepting the responsibilities listed above. If you are not sure if you accepted the role correctly please follow the steps below: 

  1. Log into Involve@State at involve.msu.edu
  2. Click on the circle in the upper right corner that has either your uploaded photo or first initial
  3. In the menu, select “Memberships”
  4. Scroll down to the organization you are confirming that you accepted the adviser role for
  5. If you have confirmed it will be listed as “the month and year of acceptance – Present”