Faculty and Staff Advisors

All CSULB student organizations have two advisors; an advisor from SLD and a faculty or staff advisor. Both advisors play an important part in fostering student organizations that function effectively and smoothly. By sharing personal experience and knowledge about the University, advisors assist organizations with meeting their goals.

Each student organization is assigned to an SLD staff who will serve as their SLD advisor. Faculty/Staff advisors are volunteers selected and voted in by the student organization. Faculty/Staff advisor responsibilities are mutually negotiated between advisors and students. Often, valuable mentoring relationships can develop between advisors and students. 

Organization officers should seek a working relationship with their advisors in order to maximize the valuable roles that SLD and faculty/staff advisors can play. As early as possible, new officers should meet with their advisors to discuss the organization's mission and goals, mutual expectations, and areas where the advisor can offer the most help. Although the advisors may not be able to attend all meetings, officers should invite their advisors to one of the year's first meetings to greet new members and to explain their roles. Finally, before the end of the year, officers should meet with the advisors to discuss group progress, the effectiveness of the advisory relationship, and recommendations for the next set of officers.

SLD Advisor Roles and Responsibilities

  • Clarify program goals and objectives
  • Assist in event planning and establishing timelines
  • Generate ideas to publicize your event
  • Generate ideas to recruit and retain members
  • Assist with budgeting and Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) grants
  • Understand and enforce the University regulations and policies
  • Build your leadership and organizational skills
  • Generate ideas to solve problems
  • Help organizations connect to referrals and resources
  • Maintain your organization's structure
  • Understand and abide by your Constitution & Bylaws
  • Attend your events
  • Maintain a connection with your officers and members
  • Generate ideas to recruit and retain members
  • Train incoming officers for transition
  • Generate ideas on how to maintain a record of your organization's accomplishments

Faculty/Staff Advisor Roles and Responsibilities

  • Serve as the faculty/staff advisor for an academic year.
  • Be either a faculty member or professional staff member who is an employee of CSULB or one of its auxiliaries and
    • may be part-time faculty or professional staff
    • serve as volunteer, ex-officio, non-voting members of the student organization
    • not be a student assistant or student employee.
  • Be familiar with the Constitution and Bylaws of the student organization(s) that they advise.
  • Provide assistance to students in setting goals and planning activities for the organization.
  • Be available to meet regularly, as mutually determined, with the executive officers and/or members of the organization at their regular business meetings and events.
  • Assist students to develop strategies and goals that provide for member ownership, membership recruitment, feedback, and involvement.
  • Encourage the officers and individual members to preserve the continuity of the group by keeping records to document the group’s history and providing transition activities for new officers.
  • Be familiar with and assist students in adhering to the Campus Regulations for campus activities, student organizations, and the university community.
  • Advisors are obligated and expected to help their student organization know and understand the university’s policies and guidelines, including, but not limited to, the university’s Time, Place, and Manner policies.
    • It is unprofessional conduct for an advisor to use their position to advise or encourage their student organization to violate university policies or guidelines.

Legal Liabilities

Faculty/Staff advisors, as well as student organizations, may be named as parties to a legal action. University employees acting as sponsors or advisors for student activities may be entitled to legal defense and indemnification pursuant to provisions of the Government Code for acts or omissions occurring within the scope of employment.

The CSULB Vice President of Student Affairs, or designee, may remove a Faculty/Staff Advisor from their student organization-related responsibilities, pursuant to EO 1068 and may be subject to discipline, as appropriate under applicable CSU policies and law, to ensure that the educational purpose of student organizations is met, or in the interests of student health, safety, and welfare.

Advisors are not permitted to encourage, endorse, or facilitate violations of university policy by their student organizations as there will be potential consequences if they engage in such misconduct. 

Clery Act and Campus Security Authority 

Faculty/Staff advisors of recognized student organizations are considered “Campus Security Authority” for the university. As such, faculty/staff advisors shall immediately report any crimes they are made aware of to CSULB University Police. An online reporting option is also available on the Campus Police Website. 

Title IX Information & Responsibilities

Faculty/Staff advisors are considered Mandatory Reporters. Promptly report allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, sexual misconduct, sexual harassment, stalking, and dating and domestic violence to the Office of Equity & Compliance via their online reporting form, email, or phone.  

CARES
Students who exhibit behaviors or disclose personal challenges in relation to their personal, physical, and emotional well-being should be referred to the CARES Team for connection to appropriate campus and community resources. Students exhibiting intimidating, disruptive, aggressive, or violent behaviors should also be referred to CARES, unless there is an immediate safety concern. 

Refer a student to the CARES Team by submitting a report through our secure online form or calling the CARES Team at (562) 985-4771 or CARES@csulb.edu.

STUDENT CONDUCT

The Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development is charged with upholding the Code of Student Conduct, which identifies behavioral expectations for all students on- and off-campus. If you have knowledge of an CSULB student potentially violating the Code of Student Conduct, you are encouraged to submit a Student Conduct Incident Report on our website:

For emergencies and/or immediate safety concerns, please call 911 or the University Police at (562) 985-4101.

CSU Anti-Hazing Policy

California State University (CSU) is committed to maintaining an inclusive and equitable community that values diversity, mutual respect, and fosters healthier and safer environments for living and learning. Hazing is contrary to our institution's values and will not be tolerated.   

Faculty/Staff advisors are expected to support student organizations, their members, and their officers to prevent any potential hazing and/or such conduct from occurring within the organization. Faculty/Staff advisors must also work to ensure that all activities sponsored and/or affiliated by the student organization(s) they advise be in compliance with this Anti-Hazing Policy. 

If you have suspicion or proof of hazing activities, please submit and online Incident Report to the Office of Student Conduct & Ethical Development. 

The CSU Student Code of Conduct, found at Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Section 41301 (b)(8) and California Penal Code section 245.6 defines “hazing” as “any method of initiation or pre-initiation into a student organization or student body, whether or not the organization or body is officially recognized by an educational institution, which is likely to cause physical harm, personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm, to any former, current, or prospective student of any school, community college, college, university or other educational institution” as well as “any act likely to cause physical harm, personal degradation or disgrace resulting in physical or mental harm, to any former, current, or prospective student of any school, community college, college, university or other educational institution. “Hazing” does not include customary and ordinary athletic events or school sanctioned events.”  

Any method or act of initiation or preinitiation into (or the maintenance of status within) a student organization or student body, whether or not the organization or body is officially recognized by the CSU, which is likely to cause serious bodily injury or mental harm to any former, current, or prospective student of the CSU is prohibited and constitutes a violation of this policy.  Hazing includes not just conduct or actions likely to cause physical harm or pose a risk to the health and safety of an individual(s) but also conduct likely to cause personal degradation that could result in physical or mental harm. Hazing includes any action taken or situation created, whether on or off campus, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule.  

Section 41301(b)(8) makes clear that “neither the express or implied consent of a victim of hazing, nor the lack of active participation in a particular hazing incident is a defense.  The express or implied consent of a victim of hazing does not excuse or constitute a defense.  Hazing violates this policy regardless of a person’s consent or willingness to participate and even if the person voluntarily submits to being hazed.   

Section 41301(b)(8) also makes clear that apathy or acquiescence in the presence of hazing is not a neutral act and is also a violation of this section.” Passive participation in hazing (such as attending a hazing incident or being a spectator) violates this policy. The tacit or explicit endorsement, approval or validation of hazing violates this policy. In addition, an individual who is in a position to be able to take reasonable action to stop or prevent hazing but fails to do so violates this policy.    

Participation in hazing, actively or passively, will result in both individual student and student organizational disciplinary action, including possible expulsion from the California State University system and a permanent loss of recognition for the student organization. Disciplinary action will also be initiated against organizational officers who permit hazing to occur. Organizational officers are expected and required to be aware of any potential hazing and to prevent any such conduct from occurring.  

Student organizations and their organizational officers are responsible for controlling the actions of their alumni, inactive members, and any other individuals participating in their member activities. 

All student organization officers will be required to complete an online hazing prevention training annually.

More information can be found on the CSULB Hazing Information & Prevention,  CSU Anti-Hazing Policy website, and through Student Life and Development.