Photo by: wordjunky
As we’ve said before, fraternity and sorority alumni are the untapped resource of every chapter. While we all may believe we know how to run a chapter and know everything there is to know about our respective organization, every chapter can benefit from a chapter adviser. Chapter advisers are fraternity or sorority alumni, sometimes chapter alumni, who give advice and help the active members of the chapter. And, contrary to popular belief, having a chapter adviser doesn’t mean your chapter will have lame parties, a non-existent social life, or be stuck in the 80’s with bad hair and even worse clothes. In reality, chapter advisers are there to help the chapter, not relive their college years, and they can bring more to the table than you expect.
An Outside Perspective
A good chapter adviser will be able to provide your chapter with an unbiased, outside perspective. This can come in handy when you’re planning your next big philanthropy, dealing with problem members, or thinking up ideas for your annual formal. Having the opinion of someone who knows about the Greek system but isn’t an active member of your chapter is valuable in many ways. Your chapter adviser can give an outside perspective from the point of view of other campus chapters, non-Greek students, university faculty and staff, and even other chapters of your fraternity or sorority. Just remember: your adviser is there to give advice. It’s your choice to take it or leave it.
Advisers Have Resources
As your chapter adviser will be an alum of your fraternity or sorority, they will have a lot of experience and contacts. As many fraternities and sororities have alumni associations to keep alumni in contact, your adviser should know a great deal of alumni in the surrounding area. This is a great resource for recruitment help, alumni support and even fundraising. The alumni contacts are also great for employment opportunities, especially for recent graduates. Additionally, even if your adviser can’t hire you at their company, they may know other people (affiliated or not) who have job openings.
Advisers Know The Rules
Many fraternities and sororities require chapter advisers to have some sort of training before advising an active chapter. At a minimum, adviser training usually includes the rules of the fraternity or sorority, headquarter contact information, and regional contact information. As such, advisers are a great resource for fraternity and sorority protocol and regulations. If you have a question or don’t know how to handle a situation, ask your adviser! More times than not, they will be able to either answer your question or direct you to someone who can.
Advisers Give Advice – You Run The Chapter
Finally, remember that having a chapter adviser does not mean the chapter executives are off the hook. The chapter adviser is not a replacement for the chapter president or a crutch for the executive members to lean on. Each member is responsible for performing their duties, contributing their opinions and ideas, and keeping the chapter on track and at top performance. The adviser’s role is to help the chapter and give guidance and advice when needed. Just remember: the adviser is an alum of your fraternity or sorority. You and your brothers or sisters are the active members, and you are the ones who determine whether or not your chapter will succeed.
Categories: