Advisor Resources

Student Organization Advisors offer continuity from year to year as student members change. Advisors convey attitudes, values and priorities to the students through guidance and professional and social activities. Effective advisors keep in contact with student leaders, counsel them on plans and operations, attend meetings, provide motivation and inspiration and offer information and general guidance. If the Student Organization is well prepared, this work will be mostly advisory with the occasional pep talk to get things started or to meet a deadline date.

The close relationship which usually develops between the Advisor and student members provides an opportunity for informal and personal contact with the teaching staff. All civil engineering faculty are encouraged to support the ASCE Student Organization.

Each Chapter and International Student Group should have three advisors: one Faculty Advisor and two Practitioner Advisors, formerly referred to as "Section Contact Members". The Faculty Advisor is a member of the civil engineering faculty. The Practitioner Advisors are members of an ASCE Section or Branch and provide contact between the students and the civil engineering professionals in the area. These individuals provide guidance to the student leaders, help maintain a balance in group activities and foster the development of professionalism and leadership in the members of the ASCE group. The Faculty Advisor is selected by the Civil Engineering Department Head. The Practitioner Advisors are selected by the ASCE Section or Branch.

To help make your job as an Advisor a positive experience, you may consider the following:

• Ensure that you have a complete set of Advisors - In some cases, the Faculty Advisor acts alone because of a lack of continuity of Advisors; contact your local ASCE Section/Branch President and request Practitioner Advisor(s) be assigned to your Student Organization - send a couple of student officers to the next Section/Branch meeting to ask for volunteers.
• Attend the Practitioner & Faculty Advisor Training Workshop - Applications available online.
• Attend a Workshop for Student Chapter Leaders - Find out what other Advisors do to encourage the growth of ASCE Student Organizations
• Request an Advisor Mentor - E-mail student@asce.org and request to be matched up with a member of the Committee on Student Activities, which consists of experienced Faculty and Practitioner Advisors from around the nation.
• Read the Student Organization Handbook - You will find the handbook helpful in gaining background information on ASCE and guidance on advising the Student Organization.
• Learn the Policies of the University - Every school has red tape that makes some things a little tricky. Find out the policies on insurance and liability, setting up bank accounts, renting university vehicles, and other activities that the university is involved with. Most schools have an office of Student Activities that can lend guidance in these arenas. Ensure that the student leaders are also aware of the university's policies.