Advisor Role and Resources

RSO Advisor Expectation Overview

Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) are required to have an advisor or be dually affiliated with a university department to become officially recognized by the university. Advisors may provide guidance to student leaders running the RSOs, content knowledge, and relevant experience to draw on. While advisors are not expected to memorize all university policies and procedures, they should help seek out answers when RSOs have questions and advise RSOs to comply with university expectations.

Advisors and RSO leaders should determine the participation expectations for the advisor including whether the advisor attends meetings.

An advisor must be a UW-Madison employee or a United States-based community member (18+ years old) with experience relevant to the organization. UW-Madison graduate students may advise undergraduate-only organizations. Undergraduate students are not eligible to be advisors. Advisors may advise remotely as long as they are otherwise US-based.

Advisors are expected to:

• Be listed in the Wisconsin Involvement Network (WIN) as the RSO advisor.
• Provide support and guidance to the RSO by answering inquiries, clarifying relevant campus policies and resources, and monitoring the overall well-being of both the organization and its student members. If unable to provide an appropriate response, refer the organization to the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement for further assistance.
• Be knowledgeable about campus policies (e.g. RSO Code of Conduct, Hazing Policy) related to RSOs, make a good faith effort to advise the RSO to remain compliant, and contact the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement if concerned that the RSO will not be acting compliantly.
• Participate, as possible, in volunteer RSO Advisor trainings and the RSO Advisor Community of Practice.
• Contact the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement with questions and for support if needed. Or, if the RSO is dual registered, the advisor may also contact the dual registration partner department with questions and for support.
• Notify the Office for Student Organizations, Leadership & Involvement if no longer able to meet the conditions of being an RSO advisor.
• Complete Campus Security Authority (CSA) training and serve as a CSA in their advisor role.

Advisors considered in a Position of Trust are also be required to complete a criminal background check.