Advisor Guidance

As a college trained advisor, you may find it helpful to review the Investigative Process and Grievance Procedures with your advisees.  Students engaging the Investigative Process will be offered a number of resources and options.  At each meeting, you can check in with your advisee to see if the resources available to them are meeting their needs.  If your advisee requires additional resources, please review supportive resources and options together and reach out to the Title IX Coordinator to help facilitate connections. Before reaching to any supportive resources, make sure you have empowered the advisee to make their own decisions.  Be transparent about your role so you can develop a trusting relationship.

Take care of yourself and remember resources are available to support you!

As a College Trained Advisor, you are highly encouraged to:

  1. Explain your role to an advisee
    1. An advisor will:  help you understand the process, offer options and solutions, help you direct your questions to the appropriate person
    2. An advisor will not:  speak on advisee’s behalf, schedule appointments for advisee, decide how the advisee will present their arguments or evidence, or act in any way as a representative or advocate
  2. Ask what they want from you as an advisor
    1. Consider setting boundaries as appropriate
    2. Boundaries that prevent an advisee from revealing sensitive information will protect the advisee’s in-school judicial interests and their off-campus legal interests, both criminal and civil
      1. For example, remind your advisee that as a responsible employee, any information shared with you related directly to the case will be shared with the Title IX Office
  3. Discuss how you will coordinate attending meetings with your advisee/if they would like you to attend
  4. Practice Actively listening
    1. You are unable to “fix” this for them.  Listening and helping them understand the process is the best way to be supportive in your role
    2. Reflect Feelings or Content:  “It sounds like you are feeling very overwhelmed.”
    3. Paraphrase or Ask Questions:  "You seem to want to walk through the Student Conduct process in order to feel comfortable making a decision.”
    4. Summarize the Main Points:  “So today you’d like to walk through your options regarding next steps.” 
  5. The advisee may bring their advisor to any investigatory meeting, hearing, or proceeding
  6. The advisor is a silent, non-participating presence when in a meeting with advisee
  7. The advisor’s attendance is solely to observe, consult with, advise and provide moral support to the advisee
  8. The advisor cannot be a witness in the proceedings, submit any written materials to, or address or make any direct statements to the witnesses, investigators, hearing panel, or any other adjudicators
  9. The advisor may not disrupt or distract from the meeting or proceeding
  10. An advisor must maintain privacy but not strict confidentiality, as they share information including notification of College policy with the Title IX Coordinator and are subject to lawfully-issued subpoena
  11. Have resources brochures, contact info, etc. on hand
  12. Contact the Title IX Coordinator or Title IX Investigator at any time if you want clarification on any topic
  13. If you do not know how to respond to your advisee’s question or concern, call or email to ask the Title IX Coordinator/ Title IX Investigator and let your advisee know that you will get back to them with a response and that, in the meantime, they can also contact the Title IX Coordinator directly