Alumnae/Chapter Relations
 

Ok, I know my Alpha Phi sisters can help me on this one. It seems as though our chapter doesn't really care about its alums.

Last summer (05) we celebrated our 10 year chapter anniversary. During the event, the chapter made sure to get updated information from alums. We have heard nothing since that event.

The only communication I have received is the CA sent me an email about a month after recruitment asking me to help for next year by purchasing a video. No thank you so much for being there both wknds, taking time off work, just can you buy this video and maybe see if you can print some stuff at work. One night there were 10 alums present to help, no one received a simple thank you card from the chapter.

Now I know that everyone is busy. So a couple wknds ago I again had lunch with some sisters and we discussed homecoming. I took the initiative to contact both the CA and the chapter president about having an alum brunch at homecoming (which used to be an annual event). This was a week ago. I have not heard anything back from either of them. I even in my email said that I would take care of communicating to the alums if they simply provided me the details and the alum contact information.

So sisters, what should I do? We just want to help and have the opportunity to work with the chapter. I have a feeling that a lot of alums are going to stop trying at all if nothing happens.

I don't know what to tell you, but I'm sort of in the same boat with my chapter. They didn't have an alum brunch last school year (which they've done every year since we started), so I wrote the CA about it and she never wrote me back. I was even going to give them money for the first time, but now I'm not so sure I will for a few years.

Does the chapter have other advisers? It sounds to me like they might need more. Then maybe the CA would have more time to write back? It's really sad, you've done a lot for that chapter, you deserve better. :(

They actually have two other advisors, recruitment and PD. The CA is very poor with communication and making sure all of the advisers know what is going on. She is also an alum of the chapter and still has the mentality of "when I was in..."

This was the same problem we had as collegians and the now CA was a dept advisor. At least we could go around her to get things done.

Is there an alumnae chapter in your area? When I was CA, I generally tried to let the alumnae chapter know what I needed for chapter support, but I didn't coordinate those efforts. I left that up to the (collegiate) Dir. of Alumnae Relations and the Alumnae chapter president or Collegiate Liaison.

You might try connecting to the alumnae chapter directly to see if you have better luck with them.