The Mu

There is a long time tradition at colleges and universities requiring student organizations to have an advisor who is a member of the faculty or administration.  The responsibilities of this person vary widely from institution to institution, and indeed from organization to organization.  Generally, the advisor’s job was to be aware of the activities of the organization, keep them from getting into trouble, and utter the occasional nugget of wisdom.

This arrangement may suffice for a simple, small campus organization, but complex groups such as activities boards, governing organizations, major community service groups, and men’s and women’s fraternities have greater advisory needs.

Such organizations have concerns many orders of magnitude greater than the average student club.  Men’s and women’s fraternities, for instance, exist perpetually on a campus for decades.  They have an affiliation with a national organization comprising thousands of members.  These groups often have physical facilities to maintain, significant liability risks to manage, and financial ledgers which make my wallet look like its full of Monopoly money.  All the while, they are expected to provide solid academic support, teach fundamental and advanced skills of leadership, conduct regular and significant philanthropic and service events, and maybe have a safe, entertaining, and—let’s face it—non-lame party in the process.

This is a lot to do.  It is much like running a full time business (have to keep that bottom line!) while at the same time balancing an entire extended family, complete with the obligatory family reunions (read: homecoming weekend).

Many readers of this publication are parents, and all of them are career professionals in education.  However, we are all specialized:  I am trained in student affairs, computer science, and music.  Each reader’s background and experience will be different, and this qualifies us to advise student groups in different ways.  While I might be proficient in helping an organization set up a good annual plan, Colonel Bloomer is probably a better person to advise in the area of developing relationships with chapter alumni.

Given the complexity of these large organizations, with their many facets, why do we only insist they have one advisor?

Two of our chapters have thought they could do better:  Phi Delta Theta has a Chapter Advisory Board.  Alpha Tau Omega created a Board of Trustees.  In both instances, they engage about a half dozen college administrators, faculty members, and alumni to advise them in different aspects of their chapters’ operation.

This arrangement has many benefits.  First and foremost, it reduces the load on any one of these volunteer advisors.  The other benefits are also significant.  Chapter officers can arrange for dedicated one-on-one mentoring about their operational area.  The variety of volunteers gives a deeper diversity opinion and advice.  The organization’s advising is not endangered if an advisor retires.

Why not extend these benefits to our other Greek organizations?  They contribute greatly to our campus, providing educational programs, practical leadership opportunities, and frankly, they help our retention statistics.

As educational professionals, I encourage you to consider joining one of these advisory teams.  No previous Greek experience required.  Just bring your smarts and your love of students.   I promise, you’ll enjoy the ride.

Daniel M. Reck MSEd, is the Assistant Director of Greek Life, Involvement and Service at Monmouth College. He is affiliated with the Sigma Nu Fraternity.

As we saw last month, all of our women’s and men’s fraternities have elected new officers for 2009. The Panhellenic Council, governing the women’s fraternities, has new officers, too. The men’s governing body, the Interfraternity Council, will have elections on March 3.

So many fresh faces. So many great ideas.

Earlier this month, the Office of Greek Life, Involvement, and Service hosted a retreat for all these new officers and lead roundtable discussions about fraternal values, social event planning, new member education and recruitment, risk management, and philanthropy. I was pleasantly surprised with what students had to say.

The discussion was lively, well-informed, and thoughtful. More importantly, it was collaborative, with concerns voiced in a spirit of communal welfare rather than in accusation, self-defense, or competition.

Student leaders Kimberleigh Morris, Matthew Bentley, and DeMarkco Butler each read quotes from President Obama’s inauguration address (see last issue), applying the President’s call for change and service to others to the current situation found here on campus. Hope and devotion abound, it seems. Already, the presidents of all of our men’s and women’s chapters have established a regular time to meet face-to-face to discuss the issues affecting their community and plan for the coming weeks, months, and years. This sort of synergistic energy is a new phenomenon at Monmouth College.

Now, as the complexities, complications,and challenges mount in our society, I still find a sense of calm and confidence. Our future is secure. We will be okay.

I quoted one of those sappy motivational posters during the retreat: “One hundred years from now, no one will care what car you drove or how much money you had, but the world will be a better place for the difference you make in a young person’s life.” These young men and women, our student leaders, are our future. They are practicing their skills of problem solving, diplomacy, advocacy, and management right here, right now.

100 years from now—or even 100 days from now—the world will be a better place for the work of these student leaders. μ

Daniel M. Reck, MSEd, is the Assistant Director of Greek Life, Leadership, and Involvement at Monmouth College. He is affiliated with Sigma Nu Fraternity.