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An adviser authority of a student organization consists of making decisions for budgets, travel, policies, and procedures of the organization.
I was recently asked to be a co-adviser of Ladies Leading, an organization for women at the institution I work for. Ladies Leading is an organization for women that are eager to volunteer, hold mentoring events on campus, and help women of every ethnicity's collegiate journey. Here is a picture of my ladies and I!

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The executive board of an organization consists of student officers that lead the organization. It's important for an adviser to ensure the structure is helpful and conducive. Below is a link of typical student officer's roles.

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An advisers job when it comes to the overall voting membership of their organization is assuring apportionment of voting members, recognize the constituencies, and the number of members.

Whenever I think of voting within a student organization, or a student meeting, I think of Roberts Rules of Order. Below is a video of the basics of Roberts Rules of order, to help any new adviser. Check it out!

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It's imperative that an adviser understands the importance and role of the politics aspect of a student organization. Its normal for students to take advantage of their role, and this can cause conflict and confusion. An adviser should diffuse conflict, and politics within their student organization. Below are helpful tips to diffuse conflict in student organizations.

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Funding is a critical component of a student organization. An adviser has to follow the budget accordingly, and help the treasurer stay on the organizations financial goals. Funding can be a major issue for student organizations. Below are some funding ideas for student organizations. Check out the article below of unique fundraising ideas for student organizations.

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Fundraising can consume an organization, leaving little energy for members to pursue the group's true purpose. With these creative fundraising ideas categorized from low to high effort levels, you'll save your group time and look like a genius!

Time and Effort: Low
(1-2 Geniuses needed on planning committee)

1. Candy Crush-a-Thon. Pull an all-nighter playing Candy Crush or the latest game craze. Charge an entry fee, make it high energy with music, and sell candy to boost funds. The player who outlasts everyone wins a gift card to the local coffee shop. The players at the highest level get a glittery phone case or silly prize. Use SignUpGenius for RSVP's or to sell sponsorships or tickets.

2. Episode Marathon Night. Pick a favorite show and host a marathon night with another group. Charge a small entry fee. Vote on your favorite character, episode, or jump-the-shark moment. Ask trivia questions or play bingo with popular one-liners, and remember to have cheapie prizes on hand.

3. Family Recipe Cook Off. A new spin on the chili cook off: have everyone cook their favorite family recipe. Charge an entry fee and give prizes to the winners. Make sure participants bring a copy of the recipe. Consider adding this to an existing party or event. Gather supplies and coordinate participants with a sign up!

4. Blind Bowling or Costume Putt-Putt Night. Work with a local bowling alley or putt-putt golf course to receive a percentage of ticket and concession sales. Make sure to select a unique place that has a festive atmosphere with private event facilities and fun/live music. Put a twist on it with blindfolds for a couple of the rounds, or playing the game in costumes. Buy a tacky prize or trophy that can be passed around year after year. You can also turn this into a tournament that includes lunch or dinner to boost sales.

Plan a tournament easily with an online sign up! SAMPLE

1. Bid on the Best Room or Parking Space. If your organization owns a convenient parking space or much-sought-after room in the organization's building, don't just give it to the President! Ask members to email a bid for the room or space. Highest bidder wins.

2. Serve-it-Up Night. Negotiate with a local restaurant, ice cream parlor, or grocery store to donate a percentage of proceeds to your organization on a particular night. Work with a venue that will let members scoop, serve, or check out!

3. Mystery Pizza Delivery. Send a busy friend a pre-paid pizza! Work with a local vendor to receive a percentage of proceeds on a certain night when callers mention your organization's name. Design a cute card and give them to the pizza delivery vendor for those surprise, mystery deliveries.

4. Arcade/Go-Cart/Sporting Events. Work with a local arcade and fun center, or even a sports team to reserve their location or reserve tickets at a group price. The venue should give you a percentage of the proceeds. You promote the event - they do the work and send you a check!

5. Have a Fundraiser Within a Fundraiser - A Basket Raffle. So you're hosting a speaker series or a dance? Assign each "class" within your organization a themed basket that will be raffled off: Sports, Night Out, Gift Cards, Summer Fun. Each class is responsible for filling their basket with donated items. Tips: 1) Check websites of local sports teams and resorts to see if you can request a donation. 2) Locally owned, independent retail stores or restaurants (rather than chains) are often more willing to donate gift cards. 3) Ask parents who own businesses that could donate. Remember! People need more than one raffle ticket (one drawing per basket), so make more $ and sell them in bulk: 15 for $10. SAMPLE

6. "Taking it a Step Higher" Capital Campaign. A unique twist on the same 'ole capital campaign: try a "footprint" version. Decide on different levels of donations: Red-$25, Blue-$50, Yellow -$100. Once money is pledged, host a quick party or event where members paint donors' feet the appropriate color, and then each donor literally stamps his/her footprint on a banner to be displayed. Above all the footprints, paint the words "Taking it a Step Higher." Voila! Marketing genius! Genius Tip: Use online sign ups to collect money, so you can send to out of town family and friends who want to participate with a cash donation.

Time and Effort: Medium
(3-4 Geniuses needed on planning committee)

1. Public Service Announcement/Social Media Challenge. Tap into skills of students on campus and ask for video submissions on a particular topic, which will serve as a Public Service Announcement (or recruiting video) from your group. Ask for donations from friends and family, and give a percentage as a cash prize to the winner. Pick an important topic and include a list of firm guidelines, due date, and a contact person. Select three winners and post them on your social media site. The one with the most likes, shares, or votes wins the cash prize. Use SignUpGenius Payments for collecting money to fund the project! SAMPLE

2. Sweat-a-Thon. Get fit and raise money at the same time! Work with the campus gym to "check in and out" members as they log hours. Set a month-long group goal and promote it. Have participants ask parents and friends to be sponsors.

3. Fitness Band Challenge. Use the latest technology gadget to establish a month-long step goal. Make sure to have participants link fitness bands to an App for legitimacy. Set a group goal and ask for sponsors, like the example above.

1. Skit/Karaoke/Talent Night. Host a Karaoke, Talent, or Saturday Night Live-inspired Skit Night, in tandem with another college group. Set some guidelines upfront, and hold auditions if needed. Charge an entry fee, sell popcorn, vote on the best one, and show clips from past year's winners in between acts. Winners get a "free pass," from a required group meeting or event. Choose to up the ante with a cash prize.

2. Seasonal Selling. Look at the calendar and sell something when folks are in the mood to spend money. On the last weekend before summer vacation, hold a car wash. During a football game, sell tailgating gear. Near Mother's Day, sell handmade cards. For Valentine's Day, sell Carnations, Sing-a-Grams or Candy-Grams for personal delivery!

3. Sell Care Packages on Move-In Day. Position members outside freshman dorms to help parents move in their children. Make sure everyone has on matching T-shirts! Position a table off to the side, selling care packages with commonly used, lesser known items that you need on campus: panic whistle, non-perishable food, coffee, Gatorade, water cup with university logo, etc.

4. Video Game Tournament. Host a video game (or board/card game tournament). Charge an entry fee for participants and audience members. Post house rules and set time limits so you can stay on schedule. Ask local businesses to donate prizes. Selling concessions or hosting a 50/50 raffle during the event will help you monetize the it further. Use SignUpGenius to organize teams and time slots.

5. Oozeball Tournament. Together with some other organizations, ask the university to temporarily turn an outdoor sand volleyball court into a mud pit. Charge an entry fee for teams to enter the tournament. Use SignUpGenius to setup teams and time slots, like the above example.

6. Powder Puff Game. Host a girl's football game, with the guys as cheerleaders! Sell tickets to the game. Be sure to research and set rules.

7. Break the Balloon Silent Auction. Stuff balloons with silly and awesome prizes and tasks: clean a room, make a meal, gift cards, free passes, butler for a day. Students bid on a balloon. Each winning bidder pops his/her balloon to reveal what's inside! Check the websites of local sports teams and resorts to see if you can request a donation. Locally owned, independent retail stores or restaurants (rather than chains) are often more willing to donate gift cards. Consider adding this to an existing event.

Need to collect Silent Auction donations? Collect them easily with a sign up! SAMPLE

Time and Effort: High
(5-6 Geniuses needed on planning committee)

1. TV Show Competition. Think Dancing with the Stars, America's Got Talent, or American Idol. Set up a link for audience members to vote on their phones during the show. Make sure judges stay positive and have a simple rating system. Test this with a smaller group first, then go campus wide next year.

2. Parent/Son or Daughter Golf or Tennis Tournament. Work with a local golf or tennis club to host a one day tournament. Many moms and dads would LOVE to come play golf and spend the day with their college-age kid! In place of Mom or Dad, invite alumni and friends. Charge an entry fee that covers expenses and makes a profit. Have a roving concessions golf cart or ask for a percentage. Get the club to donate a free round of golf or tennis to the winning team members, or give a silly t-shirt for Mom and Dad to wear proudly. Use SignUpGenius to recruit teams. SAMPLE

3. All in the Family Event. Host a family-friendly event during Parents Weekend. Get crazy and do cupcake wars, a darts tournament, or hire a dance student to come and teach a ballroom dance to parent/child pairs. Ask parents to bring "awkward family photos." Set up a silly photo booth with a decorated sheet as the background. Take pictures with your phone and email them later. The more effort you put into this event, the more you can charge Mom and Dad! Skip paper tickets and use SignUpGenius for event registration.

4. Selfie-Themed 10K. Organize a Campus 5 or 10K with a cool theme: Selfies! Runners take photos of themselves with certain campus landmarks in order to finish the race. Post on social media later - instant marketing and perfect pictures for everyone to enjoy 20 years later! Other cool 5k themes include: Midnight on the Green, Campus Sunrise Run, Circle the Stadium, Blindfold Run with a Buddy. Use SignUpGenius to register participants and pay for the entry fee. 5k SAMPLE

5. Speaker Series. Set up a series of interesting speakers. Charge an entry fee and ask your speaker to donate their time. You don't need someone famous to make this worthwhile. Tap into alumni, professors, counselors, or community members working in relevant job fields.

6. Open Mike/Read Your Childhood Diary Night. Host an Open Mike night. Poetry, music, comedy, all talents are welcome. A recent trend: Reading your childhood/teenage diary! Sell tickets. Use SignUpGenius for RSVP's. Have concessions and a raffle.

7. TV/Movie Themed Silent Auction. Use SignUpGenius to create a "Wish List" of donations, and then host a Silent Auction or bingo night with a theme from a favorite show/movie: House of Cards, Hunger Games, Downton Abbey. Don't forget to ask locally owned businesses for related gift cards, and research websites to ask for donations of sports tickets or hotel stays. Silent Auction SAMPLE

8. 80's Prom. Host an 80's prom. Come dressed in big hair and stone-washed jeans, play 80's songs, and have a costume contest. Add a second-hand clothing sale during the prom. Don't forget a photo booth with a decorated sheet/props as the backdrop, using phones for pictures and email them later! This could be fun for Parents Weekend too.

9. Dancing/Art/Grammar/Knitting/Math Lessons. Surely you have members with these skills! Set up booths where everyone shows off their skill or knowledge, with a quick tutoring session! Charge per person.

10. Battle of the "Lip Syncs." A new twist on Battle of the Bands...battle it out with a Karaoke competition! Have prizes, raffles, and concessions and charge an entrance fee.
Choose an idea, make a plan and get to it. You'll be raking in the cash soon enough! More fundraising tips and ideas can be found HERE.

Emily Mathias is a freelance writer living in Charlotte, NC.

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30 Unique Fundraiser Ideas for College Groups

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Fundraising can consume an organization, leaving little energy for members to pursue the group's true purpose. With these creative fundraising ideas categorized from low to high effort levels, you'll save your group time and look like a genius! Candy Crush-a-Thon. Pull an all-nighter playing Candy Crush or the latest game craze.

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Advisers should be aware and make a conscious note to ensure that the organization is not violating any code or laws of the institution. A couple of examples of violations of law and codes in general are hazing, and auctioning.  Advisers should understand the necessary process if a student leader disobeys or violates the institution's codes and laws. Below is Cornell's Disciplinary System model, that my current institution utilizes for disciplinary actions.

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Tradition and Culture are two very important components of a student organization. All organizations have a unique culture and set of traditions. The advisers role with tradition and culture is to make sure tradition and culture does not violate the institutions mission or from an ethics standpoint. Examples of a violation of ethics are stereotypes and cliques. Below is a link of an older article that pertains to culture and tradition of a student organization. It's such a good read. Check it out!

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Culture and Student Organizations Invoking change within your group while maintaining the overall identity By Dan Bureau

Fraternities, sororities, honor societies, and Student Governments are just a few of the organizations on college campuses that have a long history, with members engaging in the same practices, traditions, and ceremonies for years. This type of shared behavior can also be identified as the culture of an organization. In the broadest sociological sense, culture can be defined as a set of norms, customs, values and assumptions that guide particular behaviors of groups.

While a group's culture can help maintain its identity and solidarity, culture can also prohibit an organization from growing or evolving. For example, chances are slim that people in contemporary society would want to be associated with a group considered racist and sexist. However, that's how an organization could be perceived if it traditionally only accepts white male members. Eventually this group, unable to adapt to the demands of a culture that celebrates diversity, would cease to exist. Although this example might be extreme, many campus leaders find themselves faced with the challenge of making cultural changes while trying to preserve the overall identity of their organizations.

Traditionally speaking
One aspect of culture that's very evident in student organizations is the ritual. Although this term is often associated with religious practices, the idea of "an established or prescribed procedure" can apply to student organizations as well. Rituals reinforce the values of an organization by reminding all participating members of the organization's philosophies and goals. When members take part in these rituals, they gain a better understanding of the value of involvement in the organization. For example, rush is a ritual fraternities and sororities engage in every fall and spring. Potential members gain better insight and understanding into the organization they want to join, and existing members are able to recruit students who have similar ideologies and goals. The same can be said about ceremonies. Organization leaders are inaugurated to ensure that the founding principles and important components of culture are preserved.

Culture shock
Perhaps, no student organization on campus illustrates the idea of culture within a group better than Student Government. The foundation for many SGs mimic the structure of our federal government, which was developed by our country's forefathers more than 200 years ago. Parliamentary procedures, constitutions, meeting times, officer transition, and elections are all cultural components. However, even SGs are restructuring to accommodate new trends in campus politics. Women and minorities are elected into key leadership positions to mirror the increasingly diverse student populations.

It's all a haze
Typically, problems occur when the culture of an organization becomes socially unacceptable or extreme and threatens the solidarity or structure of the group. Hazing, an exercise designed to humiliate and subjugate new pledges, was a time-honored tradition among sororities and fraternities for years. However, 41 states have adopted anti-hazing laws, and administrators at public and private educational institutions have developed policies in accordance with these laws. Officials at the University of Virginia revoked recognition of the Phi Delt chapter for hazing, and at the University of Illinois, hazing allegations got a fraternity suspended for two years. Although the severity of punishment may vary depending on the school and the situation, hazing does pose a threat to the Greek way of life. In order to continue their legacies, fraternities and sororities have to change their cultures by eliminating this practice. For example, chapter members at Syracuse University attend mandatory anti-hazing workshops and adhere to anti-hazing contracts.

A change for the better
Another threat to the future of a group occurs when a pattern of neglectful or detrimental behavior has been ingrained into the culture. What if an organization always elects their finance committee chair based on popularity and good looks instead of knowledge and experience? For years, members vote for candidates based on superficial qualities as opposed to common sense and economic know-how. Over time, unqualified candidates allow financial records to become disorganized, funds to be overspent, and money may go to projects and events that aren't supported by the organization's members. However, a new leader breaks the pattern by requiring all candidates to be finance majors with bookkeeping experience. Initially, this course of action might throw the entire culture into upheaval, but in the long run, it will serve the organization better.

Creating the change
Student leaders might have difficulty juggling basic organizational principles, traditions, and change. Campus organizations have a transient membership, and a group's leadership turns over every year, if not every semester. How do you preserve the best traditions while at the same time enabling the group to grow? Here are some helpful guidelines to follow if you're trying to invoke change within the culture of your group without alienating members or losing the identity of your organization.

Recognize which components need changing and which ones DO NOT: Don't change things just because you want them to be different. Make your decisions based on the well-being of the entire organization.

Determine what steps you'll have to take to accomplish the desired change. Identify your long-term goals and plan accordingly.

Embrace all of the resources available to you. Some members may shy away from technological advances, but groups that don't adapt to societal forces will fall behind. Use a web site to promote your group, or use e-mail to communicate more effectively.

Educate members about the proposed change.

Establish individual roles to determine what each person will do to assist in the accomplishment of change.

Recognize and reward members who are instrumental in bringing about positive change.

Monitor progress to make sure you aren't taking two steps forward, but three steps back. Have weekly meetings to get feedback from members.

Once the desired change is implemented (which could take months to years), work with newly elected officers to ensure the new culture will be maintained.

Start the cycle over as often as possible.

Members of student organizations engage in a variety of shared behaviors that comprise the culture of their group. An organizations culture embodies all of the best and worst traditions, philosophies, and ceremonies of its members. An effective student leader has the ability to realize when change is needed and how to invoke it without upsetting the entire structure of the group. Preserving traditions that have shaped an organization is imperative, but its also important to keep evolving and developing new traditions for generations of leaders to come.

Dan Bureau earned his B.A. at the University of New Hampshire in 1995 and went on to get his Master of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Bureau is the student activities advisor at the University of New Mexico where he oversees Campus Leadership Programs, fraternity and sorority life, as well as the Golden Key National Honor Society. For more information, e-mail Dan Bureau at dburea@unm.edu.

Copyright 2005 Oxendine Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved

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Student Leader - Culture and Student Organizations

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Culture and Student Organizations Invoking change within your group while maintaining the overall identity By Dan Bureau Fraternities, sororities, honor societies, and Student Governments are just a few of the organizations on college campuses that have a long history, with members engaging in the same practices, traditions, and ceremonies for years.

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This section specifically pertains to an adviser balancing holding authority over a student organization and empower the students through their programming, and overall organization experience. Below is an old article that in my perspective is still very much so relevant today. It's a lengthy read but it's worth the time.

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It's important for an adviser to remain and encourage the student leaders to be fair throughout the organization membership. If a student does not follow the guidelines or meet the qualifications should be the only reasons a person should not gain entry into the organization. Advisers should make sure student leaders are not being unfair or stereotyping in the organization membership process.

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As an adviser it's vital and critical for advisers to understand that there will be stereotypes and cliques formed in student organizations. Advisers together with the student leaders can work to identify these problems early, and design programs for returning and new members to help combat these common issues. When advisers implement programs and identify these issues, this will provide benefits, as the academic year progresses, encourages open communication, and helps with retention for the organization. Whenever I think of cliques and stereotypes I think of Mean Girls, specifically the lunchroom scene.

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An adviser of a student organization should always be on a quest to understand and observe the student leaders strengths, and their personality. When an adviser understands everyones strengths, then the student leader can be effectively utilized. Below is my favorite personality test, Myer Briggs. Check it out and take the test. My score is ESFJ ( extrovert, sensing, feeling, judging)

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Extensive, research-backed profiles of 16 personality types: learn how different personalities approach romantic relationships, career choices, friendships, parenthood, and more.

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An adviser should make sure that student leaders are upholding the purpose or mission statement of the organization. The purpose of any student organization is supposed to keep the student leaders grounded within the organization. Check out this article below on how to draft a vision and mission statement for your student organization. It's a great read!

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We create practical, timely, affordable professional learning to help educators and instructional leaders provide students with a modern, equitable, and quality education.

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Having both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in communication, and strategic communication, I know first hand the IMPORTANCE of communication in general. Communication affects us from a professional and personal standpoint. Communication involves all facets of a student organization. Communication is separated into different styles nonverbal, verbal, and written communication. An advisers verbal communication role consists of clarifying institutional roles to students. The nonverbal communication role for an adviser consists of attentiveness, and overall presence. The written communication role of an adviser consists of ensuring students receive written material on the organization, and write the material in a professional manner.  Below is an article that gives a more detailed description of each communication style.

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Communication is key to maintaining successful business relations. For this reason, it is paramount that professionals working in business environments have first-class communication skills. There are three basic types of communication: verbal, non-verbal, and written. If you want to succeed in business, you need to master each of these types of communication.

Verbal Communication

Verbal or oral communication uses spoken words to communicate a message. When most people think of verbal communication, they think of speaking, but listening is an equally important skill for this type of communication to be successful. Verbal communication is applicable to a wide range of situations, ranging from informal office discussions to public speeches made to thousands of people.

Improving your verbal communication skills can help you to foster better relationships with your coworkers and maintain a large network of contacts that you can call on when necessary. Consultants are one group of professionals that need to pay particular attention to this area of communication, as they need to constantly meet with new people and quickly communicate large quantities of important information. Consultants can improve their communication skills with this online communication course for consultants.

Public speaking is the aspect of verbal communication that many otherwise confident business people struggle with. If you have trouble organizing your thoughts and mastering your nerves when presenting to large groups of people, then this free Pitch for Success online webinar can help you to improve your public speaking skills.

Non-Verbal Communication

Non-verbal communication includes body language, gestures, facial expressions, and even posture. Non-verbal communication sets the tone of a conversation, and can seriously undermine the message contained in your words if you are not careful to control it. For example, slouching and shrinking back in your chair during a business meeting can make you seem under-confident, which may lead people to doubt the strength of your verbal contributions. In contrast, leaning over an employee's desk and invading his or her personal space can turn a friendly chat into an aggressive confrontation that leaves the employee feeling victimized and undervalued.

Want to learn how to use non-verbal methods to communicate more effectively? The Secrets of Body Language online course can teach you to recognize and modify your own body language, as well as how to read that of others.

Written Communication

Written communication is essential for communicating complicated information, such as statistics or other data, that could not be easily communicated through speech alone. Written communication also allows information to be recorded so that it can be referred to at a later date. When producing a piece of written communication, especially one that is likely to be referred to over and over again, you need to plan what you want to say carefully to ensure that all the relevant information is accurately and clearly communicated.

Written communication must be clear and concise in order to communicate information effectively. A good written report conveys the necessary information using precise, grammatically correct language, without using more words than are needed. The online course Write Less, Say More can help you to write brief, punchy, powerful reports.

By improving your verbal, non-verbal, and written communication skills, you can become more successful in all areas of business. Whether you are managing others or working as part of a team, the ability to communicate effectively can improve relations with your colleagues and help you all to work more effectively together.

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Types of Communication: Verbal, Non-verbal and Written | Udemy Blog

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Communication is key to maintaining successful business relations. For this reason, it is paramount that professionals working in business environments have first-class communication skills. There are three basic types of communication: verbal, non-verbal, and written. If you want to succeed in business, you need to master each of these types of communication.