Roles and responsibilities of the social sorority and fraternity advisors at the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse

Counseling in higher education;Student counselors;Greek letter societies

Gibbons, SandraHoller, Mike ;

University of Wisconsin

关键词: Counseling in higher education;    Student counselors;    Greek letter societies;   

Others  :  https://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/46275/gibbonssandra1978.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: University of Wisconsin

【 摘 要 】

The purpose of this study was to discover, examine, and describe the roles and responsibilities of the sorority and fraternity advisors on the University of Wisconsin ? La Crosse campus. The second purpose of this study was to contribute to the knowledge of others who may be interested in advisory positions, and to the present advisors who may, as a result of this study, evaluate themselves and their performance as an advisor. The population was composed of all eleven social sorority and fraternity advisors at the University of Wisconsin ? La Crosse campus, during the Spring Semester of 1978. To meet the stated purpose, an extensive questionnaire was distributed to the social sorority and fraternity advisors, as a tool to reveal the needed information. The answers to the questionnaire inquiring about the advisors? perceptions as to their own personal roles and responsibilities were analyzed according to the current trends in advising student organizations. The results of the investigation included: 1. The average age of the sorority advisors is a bit younger than that of the fraternity advisors. 2. The typical fraternity advisor has been with the same group twice as long as the typical sorority advisor. 3. Sorority advisors were all appointed by the National organization, whereas all fraternity advisors were asked by a student member and selected by the organization. 4. Generally, the sorority advisors felt that they knew the members of their group better than the fraternity advisors felt they knew the members of their group. 5. All but one sorority advisor felt that she had a great amount of authority over the group, but realized she must be very careful with this power of authority. The greater majority of fraternity advisors were against this idea of having authority over the group and felt they had none, per se. The sorority advisors felt responsible for their groups and felt they have the final say. The fraternity advisors felt that the group has the final responsibility and authority and that he, the advisor, was there only to provide advice and only if the group asked for it. 6. The majority of advisors did not conduct any leadership training and/or development workshops for the group. 7. The majority of advisors did not work very closely with the pledge classes or the pledge trainer. 8. Half of the advisors felt they had the responsibility to cultivate potential leaders in the Chapter, and half felt they no responsibility in this area. 9. The majority of advisors felt that the philosophy of allowing mistakes for learning?s sake is quite acceptable. Several added the stipulation that they agreed, but that it depended upon the mistake about to be made, whether they would allow it to happen. On the basis of the data in this study, recommendations made were: 1. That National Organizations provide more training for their Chapter advisors. 2. That the University, specifically the Student Activities Office, conduct some classes, seminars, and/or workshops for student organization advisors. 3. That the National Organization and/or the University advise the individuals of their legal responsibilities as advisors to a student organization, by holding a workshop or seminar on the legal responsibilities of student group advisors. 4. That the University keep the advisors informed and aware of certain policies of the university which the advisor may be expected to interpret to the group. 5. That more research and study be done in the area of student group advising today. 6. That more research be done in the area of the legal responsibilities and liabilities of student group advisors today. It was further recommended that a study be conducted to determine the perceptions of student members and the National Organizations, in regard to the roles and responsibilities of the sorority and fraternity advisors, to be compared and contrasted with the views of the advisors themselves.