A campus of The California State University

Office of the Academic Senate • One Washington Square • San Jose, California 95192-0024 •408-924-2440 Fax: 408-924-2451

SS-S06-3

At its meeting of April 3, 2006, the Academic Senate passed the following Sense of the Senate Resolution presented by Senator Thames for the Instruction and Student Affairs Committee.

SENSE OF THE SENATE RESOLUTION

Student Organization Advising

Whereas: Research studies confirm that one important aspect of student engagement and success is interaction between faculty members and students; and

Whereas: Advising student clubs and organizations is mentioned in current RTP policy as one activity in which faculty members may engage for service; and

Whereas: On January 30, 2006, the Chancellor’s Office issued Executive Order 969 on the subject of Student Activities which requires that “Each officially recognized student organization must have a university advisor who is either a faculty member or professional staff member”; and

Whereas: To date SJSU has not required student organizations to have a university advisor and of the approximately 250 SJSU student organizations fewer than half currently have advisors; and

Whereas: Many of our student organizations that do not have advisors have unsuccessfully tried to obtain advisors; and

Whereas: Beginning in August 2006, student organizations without an advisor will not be able to register to be recognized by SJSU; and

Whereas: Student Life and Leadership is exploring best practices that support student learning and engagement for the administration of student organizations and expects to develop a model for advising to be rolled out in Fall 2006; therefore be it

Resolved: That faculty members and professional staff be encouraged to advise student clubs and organizations and to take advantage of Student Life and Leadership training and resources in support of advising student organizations; and be it further

Resolved: That chairs, associate deans, deans, and the provost encourage and support faculty members who choose to be student organization advisors; and be it further

Resolved: That Department, College, and University RTP Committees as well as the Provost and the President should consider student organization advising as a valuable contribution to students and the university; and be it further

Resolved: That the Investment in Faculty panel of SJSU’s strategic planning process be encouraged to continue their plans to include student organization advising as a legitimate and valuable activity for faculty members to include in proposals to reorganize workload, and be it further

Resolved: That the Instruction and Student Affairs (I&SA) Committee in conjunction with the Professional Standards (PS) Committee provide guidelines on how to properly document faculty member involvement and advice, and be it further

Resolved: That the President's staff be asked to consider creating a process for annual recognition of outstanding faculty or staff advisors for student organizations.

Approved: 11-0-0

Present: Gail Evans (non-voting), Sharon Willey, Rich Kelley, Lloyda Thompson, Joel

Bridgeman, Terri Thames, Susan Hansen, Susan McClory, Rebecca Balderas, Alberto

Gutierrez, Marian Sofish, Ben Dresher

Absent: Bill Campsey, Thomas Leddy, Caroline Fee, Deborah Griffith, Preston Rudy, Rocio Dresser,

Key People to Implement the Sense of the Senate Resolution and to inform if it is passed: University administrators, Provost, Deans, Chairs and Directors, Chairs of Department, College, and University RTP committees, faculty, staff, and students.