University RSO advisor

Every student organization must have a full-time USC faculty or staff advisor to become a Recognized Student Organization. The primary role of the advisor is to serve as a resource person for the organization. Advisors will counsel and advise organizations by asking the “tough” questions, assist students in their thinking process, and challenge the organization to go beyond the status quo. Advisors also provide continuity for an organization as they can pass along valuable information regarding the history of the organization and their past accomplishments. An active advisor can improve the effectiveness of an organization while also assisting in the positive development of the students.

Re-Recognition EngageSC:

All the steps need to be completed by the student group. Once they submit the engageSC profile the Advisor will receive an automated email with a link to accept the invitation to join the organization on engageSC to confirm that you are their Advisor.

Additional trainings and information may be required for RSO’s and their advisors if they engage with minors and/or healthcare related activities.

Advisors have four broad functions:

To help with the leadership development of students: The advisor will assist students in leadership development of skills such as time management, problem-solving, delegation, conflict resolution, and communication.
To add to the continuity of the group as members graduate: The advisor will share the history of the organization and explain why past decisions were made to new officers.
To serve as a liaison between the university and the organization: The advisor will explain university policies and connect students to the appropriate offices for assistance.
To assist in the area of program content and purpose: The advisor will assist in the development of projects, events and activities. The exact role of the advisor should be determined by the advisor and the student organization. This role may vary from organization to organization, based on the organization’s needs and goals. The advisor should never be considered just a signature in order to receive recognition. The new student leadership of the organization and the advisor should have a conversation early on to determine the role and expectations of the advisor and the advisor’s expectations of the students.

Advisor Expectations

The specific expectations of an advisor depends on the student organization’s needs and the advisors leadership style and level of commitment. Advisors should meet regularly with organization leaders to determine what the expectations of their commitment will be.

Campus Security Authority

As an advisor of a student organization, you are designated as a Campus Security Authority (CSA) as defined by the federal law known as the Clery Act. As a CSA you will have specific crime reporting responsibilities while serving in this role. Attached, please find a brief overview of CSA responsibilities as outlined in the Clery Act. To further understand your role as a CSA, please review the Clery Act training at the following link: https://srm.usc.edu/rmcsapps/csa/index.cfm

FAQ	Where to go?
General RSO Operations & Policies	Campus Activities website or via email stuacts@usc.edu
Classroom Space Requests	Request via the form on the scheduling website. Questions can be directed to classroom.scheduling@usc.edu or by calling (213) 740-4612
University Policies for RSO’s	The Student Handbook Part G outlines specific University Policies for RSO’s
Trademark Information	The Student Handbook: Sales and Fund-raising Policies (see Section G.7. Sales and Fundraising) for information on Trademarks and Licensing*
Campus Venue Reservation & Fundraising Requests	Trojan Event Services