fs_peer_live-in_advisor_responsibilities_10.01.21

Updated: 10.01.21 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Fraternity & Sorority Commons Fraternity/Sorority Peer Live-In Advisor Reporting to a fraternity or sorority alumni committee, this l

Updated: 10.01.21

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Fraternity & Sorority Commons

Fraternity/Sorority Peer Live-In Advisor

Reporting to a fraternity or sorority alumni committee, this live-in student leadership position serves as

an active peer advisor to a fraternity or sorority which houses members in a residential setting The Peer Advisor works on a daily basis with student leaders and members in such areas as behavioral expectations, membership obligations, fraternity or sorority programming and assistance, and Institute rules and regulations governing the fraternity or sorority The Peer Advisor also promotes a commitment to, and demonstration of, the organization’s and the Institute’s values and purpose The Peer Advisor works directly with individual fraternity or sorority members to provide information about support resources which can assist them with issues such as academic, personal, and health related needs The organization’s alumni group will identify and select the person for this role, taking into consideration any input from the undergraduate chapter and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Commons staff

A Fraternity/Sorority Peer Live-In Advisor is required to be in place in all Fraternity and Sorority chapters with residential facilities housing Rensselaer students, including those housed in Rensselaer facilities

Responsibilities

 Educate fraternity or sorority members through one-on-one or group meetings in such areas as behavioral expectations, membership obligations, fraternity or sorority programming and

assistance, and Institute rules and regulations governing the fraternity or sorority

 Hold the fraternity or sorority members and their organization to high standards including compliance with applicable policies and laws as well as initiating appropriate internal and

external responses for violations of policy and/or law

 Hold open drop-in hours for members of the organization

 Support wellness and emotional well-being of students in the organization

 Where appropriate, make referrals of students to the Institute or outside resources which can

help resolve matters for the student

 Identify risk management, life/health safety and facility issues Share them with undergraduate

and alumni leadership in order to resolve those issues

 Attend weekly meetings with officers and/or organization leadership and provide input as

needed

 Live in the organization’s facility and be present in the facility regularly – including nights and

weekends

 Comply with all training requests from the institute and fraternity or sorority oversight groups

 Attend required scheduled meetings with a representative from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Commons to receive additional support and coaching and to maintain open

communication

Updated: 10.01.21

Qualifications

 Be a Rensselaer student with third-year status, or more, actively pursuing a degree, and in good academic and judicial standing with the Institute

 Be a member of the peer fraternity or sorority

 Understand and support the mission and purpose of the fraternity or sorority as well as the Institute

 Demonstrate the ability to organize, motivate and lead a group of their peers

 Be knowledgeable of their organization and the collegiate fraternity/sorority experience

Additional Desired Qualifications

 Possesses a desire to build relationships, work with a variety of constituents and support the positive personal and professional development of all student members

 Serve in a leadership capacity within the fraternity or sorority

Selection

 The Peer Advisor is selected by and reports to the fraternity or sorority’s alumni Chapter

Advisory Board or Housing Corporation with input from the undergraduate chapter These alumni(ae) groups will ensure that liability insurance covers the individual in this position in the capacity of their responsibilities

 The Institute will assist in the process by conducting such tasks as: performing a background check of a candidate, consistent with that used for campus residential staff hiring (mandatory); helping to identify potential candidates (optional); providing a list of possible interview

questions (optional)

Training

 Prior to, or at the beginning of, each semester Rensselaer will provide Fraternity and Sorority Peer Advisors with education/training on such topics as campus and local resources, peer to peer mentoring, best practices for recognizing, intervening, and referring a peer to support resources, and other concomitant topics, similar to that which is provided to residential

Resident Assistants