The Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors is comprised of professionals and volunteers who work on college campuses, work at a fraternity/sorority inter/national headquarters, work for businesses that support fraternity/sorority students, and/or volunteer locally or nationally for their fraternity/sorority or for organizations that support fraternities and sororities. 

 

Two of the Association’s primary purposes are professional development and support for members and advocacy for the fraternity/sorority advising profession; the Core Competencies are designed to further those goals.  The cultivation and consistent demonstration of these competencies are key to success among professionals and volunteers who work with fraternities and sororities.  AFA members are encouraged to strive to continually strengthen their skills and gain more experience in these areas.  In working with fraternities and sororities, the understanding and demonstration of these competencies will allow professionals and volunteers to be successful. 

A fraternity/sorority advisor applies student development and organizational development theory to his/her practice in challenging and supporting councils, chapters, and individual members.  The advisor helps students to be aware of what they are learning and how this applies to their curricular lives.  An advisor provides leadership, marketing, diversity awareness, officer transition, and other types of training for chapter members, advisors, and alumni/alumnae volunteers. 

Values Aligner |
A fraternity/sorority advisor sets and clearly communicates high expectations for chapters as values-based organizations hosted at an institution of higher education and holds members accountable for their actions. An advisor challenges students to live up to their shared organizational values and have these expectations of one another.  When necessary, a fraternity/sorority advisor sanctions individual members or chapters, or works with the institution’s judicial affairs system and inter/national organization in a disciplinary process.  The advisor recognizes students and chapters for their improvements and achievements in adhering to their founding principles and university expectations.

Collaborator |
A fraternity/sorority advisor collaborates with and often serves as a liaison among potential members, chapter members, chapter officers, campus faculty, campus administrators, other offices on campus, alumni/alumnae, local volunteer advisors, local house corporation officers, inter/national headquarter staff members, and inter/national officers.  The advisor works with these other constituencies on the common goal of positively impacting the reputation and success of the fraternity/sorority community by building partnerships to impact positive change, sharing information regularly, maximizing the reach of limited resources, and developing key partnerships. A fraternity/sorority advisor builds trusting relationships for the betterment of the councils, chapters, and chapter members.

Advisor |
A fraternity/sorority advisor guides and facilitates the work of individual chapter members, chapter executive committees, and governing councils, affording them experiential learning opportunities that enhance the education they receive inside the classroom.  The advisor provides training and resources on risk management awareness.  An advisor builds relationships with individual students to assist them with organizational, academic, or other concerns.  The advisor enlists the help of counseling professionals when necessary.

Administrator |
A fraternity/sorority advisor maintains accurate and comprehensive records on membership statistics, scholarship rankings, council business, and disciplinary cases.  The advisor works with all necessary constituencies to resolve any individual member, chapter, council, or university crisis.  An advisor may supervise or oversee full-time professional, paraprofessional, graduate student, and/or undergraduate student staff.  A fraternity/sorority advisor may have responsibilities in managing, or supporting students in managing, on- or off-campus chapter houses, chapter suites, and/or offices to ensure they are operating properly and safely.  The advisor may also assist students in planning events. 

Researcher |
A fraternity/sorority advisor uses research to guide practice.  The advisor assesses the needs of the fraternity/sorority community and engages constituents in strategic planning to set goals for ongoing development and to provide programs and resources for the benefit of chapters and members; the impact of those programs and resources is also assessed.  The advisor maintains an awareness and knowledge of how current issues and student affairs research impact the undergraduate student experience and fraternity/sorority community.

Innovator |
A fraternity/sorority advisor implements new programs that benefit community members.  An advisor promotes the practical application and effective use of technology to communicate with members, support their positive use of online communities, provide online educational opportunities, and promote the fraternity/sorority experience. 

Leader |
A fraternity/sorority advisor is an involved, engaged member of the campus community, is an active volunteer, and participates in opportunities for continued professional development through the Association of Fraternity Advisors and other organizations.  An advisor exhibits leadership skills in his/her daily work through critical thinking, risk taking, and creativity, and by making values-based decisions.  An advisor also shares his/her knowledge and mentors others in the field.