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Loss of Advisor

Purpose

Here we discuss what happens if you lose your club advisor during the academic year and how Student Engagement can help support the club identify a new one.

During the course of the semester or year, the club advisor may need to step down from their role. If this occurs, it is important that the club finds a new advisor within fifteen (15) business days of the previous advisor leaving.  

If a new advisor is not found, the club may become inactive or lose their registered status. Please work with Student Engagement during this time as we might be able to help find an individual that would be able to fulfill the advisor's role for your club. 

If the club cannot find an advisor during the grace period, the club's status will be changed to inactive for the remainder of the current semester. The club can then reapply for active status during the next Open Enrollment, if an advisor has been identified.

*Please be mindful that no monetary transactions can be made during the time that there is no advisor.

Role of Club Advisors

Purpose

Effective advisors will advise on club and Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵÍø (CWI) processes but will also allow club members to plan and make decisions and mistakes. They will partake in club decisions and educate members in order for them to make informed choices. 

Club advisors must: 

• Be employed by CWI.
• Complete club activation training and successfully pass the assessment annually.
• Advise club members on club policies and assist in adherence.
• Assist club members in managing a budget and making financial decisions that adhere to club policies, and signing off on all financial documents.
• Be proactive in helping the students plan club events, fundraisers, and travel.
• Work closely with Student Engagement in all club processes.
• Hold club members accountable when they fail to follow policies and procedures.
• Maintain communication with club officers and Student Engagement regarding all events, issues, travel, etc.
• Help foster individual and team leadership among the club members
• Follow all policies and procedures as outlined in the Club and Organization Handbook.

Last Reviewed

June 26, 2023

Remove/Replace Club Advisor

If the students in the club want to replace their advisor, it is the club's choice and decision. The process of selecting and removing an advisor should be outlined in the club's constitution. 

Student Engagement encourages the club's officers to meet with the club advisor to discuss concerns. Miscommunication is often the issue and can easily be resolved amongst the group. Student Engagement always highly encourages advisors, officers and members to communicate concerns with the Office of Student Engagement.  

In the case the club does not specify the process for advisor appointment and removal, then the process shall be carried out with a majority vote of all club officers that are registered with Student Engagement and have completed training. Any advisor removal should be communicated immediately to Student Engagement. 

Fraternization Policy

Clubs often participate closely with their advisor on projects and programming and often even travel with advisors. It is imperative that advisors and members keep professional relationships. 

CWI faculty and staff assist CWI in meeting its mission of providing a quality higher education for its students. Students should be assured that the relationships they develop with employees are built upon the highest ethical principles of the education profession. Maintaining professional relationships and mutual respect and trust between employee and students is key to CWI’s success. 

Employee and student relationships give rise to actual or apparent conflicts of interest, favoritism and bias and thereby undermine the real or perceived integrity of the academic environment. A relationship where an employee has academic, administrative, supervisory, evaluative or other authority or influence over a student raises concerns about objectivity, fairness and exploitation. These relationships may harm others in the academic environment and give rise to third party complaints resulting from real or perceived instances of undue access or advantage and/or restricted opportunities. Such relationships impair or otherwise undermine the ongoing trust needed for effective teaching, learning and professional development. Accordingly, CWI has adopted the following guidelines to address certain relationships between employee and students. 

• Employees are prohibited from dating, pursuing a date, and having or pursuing a romantic or sexual relationship with a student enrolled in the faculty member’s class or subject to employee supervision. Relationships between employee and students that are of a romantic or sexual nature when a relationship of authority exists are prohibited. 
• No CWI employee shall exercise any academic, supervisory, evaluative or other authority or influence over a student with whom the employee has a relationship. 
• If a relationship exists or arises between an employee and a student, any relationship of authority must be eliminated. 
• If a relationship arises, exists or has existed between an employee and a student, the employee has the primary responsibility to report the relationship to his or her immediate supervisor and/or Human Resources. 
• In the event that a consensual relationship exists or has existed between an employee and a student, the supervisor must take prompt and appropriate action to end the relationship of authority.   
• Appropriate actions may include but are not limited to: appointment of a qualified alternative instructor to the position of authority; transfer of the student to another course, section, or seminar taught by a different instructor; or assignment or transfer of the student to another academic advisor. 
• In the event that a CWI employee or student not involved in the relationship believes a relationship is occurring or has occurred between an employee and a student, the employee or student shall disclose such knowledge to the relevant department supervisor and/or Human Resources.  
• To encourage reporting of relationships governed by this policy, disclosures shall be considered confidential.  
• Further, retaliation against any employee or student reporting a relationship under this policy is strictly prohibited. 

For more information on the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵÍø's Fraternization Policy, please refer to the Human Resources Policy – 020. 

Further questions or concerns can be directed to Student Engagement at clubs@cwi.edu.