Advisor Don'ts

• DON’T Stifle student leadership development.
  
• DON’T Attempt to know all things.
  
• DON’T Take over the organizational meetings unless asked to do so.
  
• DON’T Impose your own bias upon the organization.
  
• DON’T Do the work of the president or other members of the executive board.
  
• DON’T Be an absentee advisor.
  
• DON’T Miss group meetings or functions when you have promised to attend.
  
• DON’T Be afraid to let the organization try new ideas.
  
• DON’T Lose an objective viewpoint as advisor.
  
• DON’T Allow the organization to become a one-person organization.
  
• DON’T Be laissez-faire or autocratic.
  
• DON’T Assume the organization doesn’t need you as an advisor because things appear to be okay.
  
• DON’T Assume the organization’s attitudes, needs and personalities will remain the same year to year.
  
• DON’T Be afraid to ask for support when you need it.
  

This information is adapted from Schreiber, V. and Pfleghaar,
E. “Supervising vs. Advising”, UMR-ACUHO, 1999 and the ACPA Commission for Student Involvement Advisor’s Handbook