The man that is nominated as adviser by the chapter and appointed by the National Board of Directors holds a very important position. He advises and guides the chapter through years of progress and prosperity and helps to avoid pitfalls through unwise actions.
A good adviser keeps in close contact with chapter operations via chapter meetings, Executive Council meetings, finance committee meetings, alumni meetings, and conferences with the officers, housemother and University officials. The adviser should be consulted when the chapter or a committee is to make important decisions.
The adviser serves as liaison between the chapter, the university, the community and the National Fraternity's Home Office. Thus, he has a three-way responsibility which he should discharge with equal dedication. His influence in Chapter matters should be the guidepost as groups of officers and members change over a period of years.
No brother should hesitate to ask an adviser for his guidance and counseling. He performs an intimate and influential role and, in so doing, spends many valuable hours in what may seem at times a thankless task. Thus he deserves the same respect and gratitude for his judgment that one would accord his own father.
The purpose of the Adviser Forum is to instill the confidence to implement the techniques of participative leadership and provide follow-up support to obtain measurable improvements on priority goals and objectives at the Chapter level over the next 24 months.
"Until I attended an Adviser Forum, I never fully understood what my job was within my chapter," are the thoughts of one of the many AGR Chapter Advisers from around the country. As an adviser, what is your job description? What sort of role should you play in the chapter? How do you deal with conflicts and problems among the undergraduates? If you want the answer to any or all of these questions, then the AGR National Adviser Forum is right up your alley.
Adviser Forums provide you with the skills and training needed to be the most effective adviser you can be, which often times can be the key to a strong chapter. There will also be some downtime available over the weekend, allowing you to converse with other advisers from around the country, and giving you the chance to bounce ideas back and forth. You can't be an effective leader without receiving the proper training, and that is exactly what this forum is designed to do. It's an investment that will pay huge dividends down the road, so contact us and sign up today!
The Adviser Forums are facilitated by R. Kirby Barrick. Kirby is the dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Florida. He has also served as associate dean for academic programs in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois. He is a three-time graduate of The Ohio State University in Agricultural Education where he was a member of Beta Chapter. He and his wife, Susan, have two married children and five grandchildren. He has served as a chapter adviser, on the Beta House Corporation Board and as Grand President for Alpha Gamma Rho. He is currently the adviser forum coordinator. He is a Fellow in the American Association for Agricultural Education and received the Distinguished Educator Award from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture and The Ohio State University Distinguished Teaching Award.
For more information about Adviser Forums contact the Home Office at 816-891-9200 or send an email to [email protected].