Advisor Support & Resources
Advisors serve as essential partners in the development of student leaders and the success of fraternity and sorority chapters. At Penn State, both Chapter Advisors and University Advisors support the mission of Fraternity and Sorority Life by offering guidance, mentoring, and oversight that help student organizations thrive academically, socially, and organizationally.
Advisor Role Overview
Advisors are responsible for offering leadership, continuity, and insight to student organizations. While Penn State requires fraternities and sororities to have an advisor, the depth and nature of the relationship is defined collaboratively by the chapter and the advisor. At their core, advisors help students navigate the balance between autonomy and accountability.
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Chapter Advisors serve as the primary connection between the organization and its inter/national headquarters. They are typically alumni of the chapter or affiliated organization. Their core responsibilities include:
- Providing consistent oversight of the chapter’s operations as they relate to the University, community, and organization.
- Maintaining visibility in the chapter, including attending meetings, visiting regularly, and building relationships with members.
- Meeting monthly with chapter leaders and being available as a resource for general membership.
- Supporting officer transition and leadership development.
- Educating the chapter on risk management, academic expectations, and University or inter/national policies.
- Encouraging the use of a standards board to promote personal accountability aligned with the organization's values.
- Participating in adviser meetings hosted by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life as requested.
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University Advisors are Penn State faculty or staff who support the academic and developmental mission of each chapter. They are particularly focused on scholastic achievement and student success. Their responsibilities include:
- Helping the chapter build and implement an academic success plan.
- Supporting the development of academic incentive and recognition initiatives.
- Attending chapter scholarship events or receptions when invited.
- Being available to meet individually with members seeking academic support.
Resources
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life equips advisors with the tools and guidance needed to support student success. From leadership training and policy education to Standards of Excellence support and advisor networking, these resources strengthen the connection between advisors and the students they mentor.
The Clery Act and Campus Security
According to federal law, specifically The Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 (recently known as the Clery Act), Penn State Police Department is required to report "statistics concerning the occurrences of certain criminal offenses reported to the local police agency or any official of the institution who is defined as a 'Campus Security Authority".
Please familiarize yourself with the links below. If there are any questions regarding this please contact Stephanie Brooks, Penn State Police at 814-863-1907.
Campus Hazing Transparency Report
The Pennsylvania State University Campus Hazing Transparency report provides all findings of violations of the institution’s antihazing policy or Federal or State law for five (5) previous consecutive years related to hazing that are reported to the University. The report is published in accordance with Act 80 of 2018, the Timothy J. Piazza Antihazing Law, 18 Pa.C.S. § 2809 et seq. and the Stop Campus Hazing Act, 20 U.S.C.A. § 1092(f).
