APO Alumni Structure and Issues

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by emb021

Not *quite* sure I understand your point, but a problem I've seen with too many in APO is that, to them, APO is their Chapter. And nothing else. They have little concept/appreciate of APO outside their Chapter. If their Chapter is in need of help, they will come running. But if they are asked to join an alumni association, help other Chapters, be involved as an alumni volunteer, they have no interest in doing so.

Their Chapter has failed them. Their Chapter has failed to educate them in what APO is: a NATIONAL Service Fraternity, of which their Chapter is but one of 360+ Chapters around the country. Their Chapter has probably failed to educate them on our NATIONAL history, organization, etc. They probably had little interaction with any Brothers outside their Chapter, unless they went to a conference or convention. And their Chapter probably never really promoted these events and tried to get as many people as possible to attend.

Our Fraternity is ill served by the many alumni who do not get involved in us, not because they have a full life, but because they were never educated that Brotherhood in APO is for life, and that they should consider being involved with APO after they've left their college and Chapter.

Originally Posted by Senusret I

Alpha Phi Omega has failed to provide a meaningful, diverse, and robust method of alumni participation.


An above-adequate alumni program would include:

1) A plan to charter geographic-based alumni associations in the 25 most populous United States cities.

2) A consistent alumni association program with annual goals, reporting, and awards for participation. For example, as it stands right now, there is no Distinguished Service Key that Alumni Association may present to their members.

3) A meaningful membership program that addresses the needs of all ages/experience levels of alumni: recent college graduates, alums with families, and retired/empty nest alums.

Our alums typically remain active in other endeavors after college -- some become Masons, alumni/ae initiates of GLOs, Kiwanis, Junior League, etc. Some become very active in their churches or participate in more focused service opportunities. They follow interests that are more adult and are more tailored to their needs at the time.

APO just doesn't have that. I think it CAN, but the focus has to move away from "Hey, you graduated now join section staff!" to "You've graduated -- here's a local alumni association that does some service, does some professional development, and has a little fun -- come to a meeting and see if you like it."

THEN you cultivate your sectional leadership from the alumni associations.... I am tired of seeing section staffs recreate programming which SHOULD be performed by alumni associations.

Just wanted to move this to its own thread since it wasn't related to the original topic.

[emb021]

As I noted in the other thread, good ideas. Have you proposed this to the Alumni PD?

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by emb021

As I noted in the other thread, good ideas. Have you proposed this to the Alumni PD?

Short answer, no.

It's frustrating when you run an alumni association that DOES work and you include people in the loop as a courtesy, yet it's unrecognized.

I've asked the Regional Director and Alumni PD to contribute to our newsletter in an effort to continue to teach that the fraternity is NATIONAL and NEEDS US to the 620 alums who receive it. Neither contributed.

I have invited the Section Chair to events and she doesn't show up.

I CC our sectional and regional alumni people on emails that go unacknowledged.

THAT SAID..... I won't refuse to pass my ideas along, but I'm still feeling people out in an effort to make sure I make good use of my time and energy.

[Senusret I]

You said in the other thread that you submitted an AA DSK idea that didn't make it out of reference committee. Would such an award require an act of the national convention?

[emb021]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

You said in the other thread that you submitted an AA DSK idea that didn't make it out of reference committee. Would such an award require an act of the national convention?

Uh, to create a AA DSK, just as we have a C DSK, would require the approve of the National Convention. This would also mean the creation of a physical key, etc. Once created, just like a C DSK, AA would be free to present said key to its members based on the procedures they develop, but with National guidelines (same as the C DSK).

Certainly, an AA is free to create their own DSK. Just as chapters are. Its just that such keys would be viewed as nothing more then a locally created award with no 'national standing'.

For instance, my chapter awards the C DSK. This means that other will recognize that that person has received a C DSK. My chapter could also create its own key, say the "Nova Key". Such a key would not have the same standing to others as a C DSK, and would be just another local chapter award.

[emb021]

Copy of posting to other thread, to bring it over to this one.

:
Originally Posted by Senusret I
Alpha Phi Omega has failed to provide a meaningful, diverse, and robust method of alumni participation.

I won't dissagree with you, but part of the problem is that WE (the alum) have not really stepped up and said we want this and that we will help achieve this.

An above-adequate alumni program would include:

1) A plan to charter geographic-based alumni associations in the 25 most populous United States cities.

2) A consistent alumni association program with annual goals, reporting, and awards for participation. For example, as it stands right now, there is no Distinguished Service Key that Alumni Association may present to their members.

3) A meaningful membership program that addresses the needs of all ages/experience levels of alumni: recent college graduates, alums with families, and retired/empty nest alums.

Actually, I took a look at the alumni association awards and even proposed an AA DSK a couple of NatConvs back. I don't think it got out of the reference committee.

Our alums typically remain active in other endeavors after college -- some become Masons, alumni/ae initiates of GLOs, Kiwanis, Junior League, etc. Some become very active in their churches or participate in more focused service opportunities. They follow interests that are more adult and are more tailored to their needs at the time.

APO just doesn't have that. I think it CAN, but the focus has to move away from "Hey, you graduated now join section staff!" to "You've graduated -- here's a local alumni association that does some service, does some professional development, and has a little fun -- come to a meeting and see if you like it."

THEN you cultivate your sectional leadership from the alumni associations.... I am tired of seeing section staffs recreate programming which SHOULD be performed by alumni associations.

I have to agree. Some of us tried to established an alumni association in our local area. One of the purposes was to cultivate a group from which future sectional leadership could be drawn, as well as future charter sponsers, etc. But getting people to come out even on a monthly basis was very difficult. Somehow asking people to travel 15-20 minutes to the meeting was too much of an inconvenience to them. (as if they don't travel the same amount to time to certain venues like major malls/theaters, sports stadiums, etc) Petty little interpersonal issues also didn't help. (Brother X didn't like Brother Y. Because Brother Y was involved in group, didn't want to come to group. As Brothers A, B, C friends of Brother X, they too didn't come. Even after Brother Y moved out of the area, Brothers A, B, C, and X would not come out)

Have you considered sending this to the Alumni PD?

[GMUAPhiOAdvisor]

As a recently "re-associated" alum, I am thrilled to see this thread. My local alumni association appears to have many members, yet the only events I see happening are a once monthly happy hour! While this fulfills one of the cardinal principals, it leaves me longing for the other two.
One of the reasons this happens, I believe, is the fact that the alumni assciation covers such a large area. But when I suggested the association break into smaller groups, the idea was soundly rejected.
So, while I received their (once monthly) emails, it's always the same thing.....come to happy hour in a central, but highly inaccessible place due to traffic, and have drinks to only then turn around and drive home.
What can I, as an individual, do to encourage more active participation by the chapter? How do I encourage them to get involved with the local collegiate chapters? More importantly, how do I encourage the collegiate chapter to involve the alumni?

[Senusret I]

There just isn't enough time for me to really isolate the problems of the National Capital Area Alumni Association and the Section 85 Staff like I want to. So I will just give some suggestions:

*** Hold senior receptions or "Alumni Inductions" for the chapters in your area without an alumni association. I will be happy to share with you what the Mu Alpha Alumni Association did to "induct" graduating seniors into our group.

Okay, that's my only suggestion... the rest of my thoughts were criticisms and policy changes, LOL.....

Let me also add that I don't think it's necessary to involve the alums in a chapter -- most already know how to do that if they're interested. I think it's more important to devise ways to recruit more alumni (an annual national mailing to graduating seniors from major universities likely to relocate to DC; alumni inductions for local graduating seniors, etc).... and of course having a fellowship program that makes sense for younger brothers, brothers with families, and older brothers.

Good luck!

[emb021]

Originally Posted by GMUAPhiOAdvisor

As a recently "re-associated" alum, I am thrilled to see this thread. My local alumni association appears to have many members, yet the only events I see happening are a once monthly happy hour! While this fulfills one of the cardinal principals, it leaves me longing for the other two.
One of the reasons this happens, I believe, is the fact that the alumni assciation covers such a large area. But when I suggested the association break into smaller groups, the idea was soundly rejected.
So, while I received their (once monthly) emails, it's always the same thing.....come to happy hour in a central, but highly inaccessible place due to traffic, and have drinks to only then turn around and drive home.
What can I, as an individual, do to encourage more active participation by the chapter? How do I encourage them to get involved with the local collegiate chapters? More importantly, how do I encourage the collegiate chapter to involve the alumni?

Not quit the problems I saw with the AA we tried to get going.

We are in a large metro area that covers 3 countries and has 3 large cities very close together. Our aim was to create a single AA for the area, with the possibility that as we grew and got larger, that the AA could later split into 2-3 AA (basically one per each large 'city'). We never got the mass to get to that point.

We choice a central location to met on Sunday nights at a reasonable price place to eat. It was located right off a major highway, and would be easy for most people to quickly get to the location via the various major roadways. (before I moved, it took me 30 minutes to get there. As I traveled 45 minutes one way each day for work, this was to me a non-issue). Still, people wouldn't come out. We proposed rotating meeting (one month we'll have a meeting 'up north', another 'down south'). Still, people wouldn't come out.

Our idea was monthly meetings for socializing and dinner (for those who wanted to), with the aim of trying to do at least quarterly service projects (some of which might be joining in with some of the local chapters, such as when we helped out with the MDA Telethon one year). We also tossed around the idea of doing a weekend cookout. We also tried to make it clear that the AA meetings were not 'Brother only' meetings, so that Brothers could bring their wifes and kids (in case this was an issue with some).

Still, nothing worked and I finally gave up on the effort (as those who were worked with me left the area over time).

We also wanted to involve the chapter advisors of the local chapters. This would help create links between the two, give advisors a chance to associated with other 'adult' Brothers, and the like.

I would hope that stuff like the Chapter of Excellence Award requiring chapters to do stuff with alumni would help. We'll see.