Men's Greek-wide Alum Associations

[Taualumna]

Many cities have alumnae panhellenics. Do men's organizations have Alumni IFCs?

Just wonderin'

[TSteven]

Never heard of one. But that doesn't mean they don't exist somewhere.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by TSteven
Never heard of one. But that doesn't mean they don't exist somewhere.

Do you think there is a reason for that? Time? Too busy with work (which doesn't make too much sense, since women work and yet have time to go to panhel events)?

[TSteven]

Well shut my mouth. I checked the NIC site and apparently there are Alumni IFCs. (Clicked on "About the NIC" and then "Alumni IFC's")

They seem to be geared toward campuses and not regional. i.e. There might be a UCLA Alumni IFC and a USC Alumni IFC but not a Los Angeles area Alumni IFC.

For all I know, this is something fairly new. (1-2 years?) My guess is that previously, the perception - real or otherwise - was that there wasn't a need for Alumni IFCs. Perhaps now there is a need. The reasons *why* may be found listed under the Mission or Organizational Purpose below.

Again, I haven't heard of anything like this with respect to any specific campus so I don't know where one of these Alumni IFCs may be located or how well they may work.

ALUMNI INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL

Alumni Needs to Keep in Mind

ALUMNI PRIORITIES

1. Family including significant other, children, relatives, and extended family

2. Job or profession (and related peers)

3. Spirituality

4. Local community activities

5. Personal leisure

6. And then the fraternity—maybe

FRATERNITY ALUMNI INTERESTS

• A desire to continue relationships developed in school

• An interest in the status of the chapter

• An interest in the campus

• A desire to see, visit, and volunteer with fraternity friends

• A willingness to actively serve the fraternity

ACTIVITY/EVENT ENHANCERS

• Adequate notice of events

• Starting on time

• Appreciation of time and contributions

• Improving the image of the fraternity and institution

• Being asked to volunteer in specific ways

• Staying in touch with old fraternity friends

• Making new fraternity friends

• Enthusiasm and follow-through of other involved alumni

• Personal and professional networking opportunities

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ALUMNI INTERFRATERNITY COUNCILS

Format and Programming Ideas

Developing a Mission

Alumni IFCs can play a variety of roles in supporting the Greek system on campus. Local Greek alumni, undergraduate chapter leaders, and the campus administration (with leadership from the Greek Advisor) need to determine the purpose for an Alumni IFC.

Membership and Organizational Purpose

1. An Alumni IFC can be made of existing chapter advisors and serve as a network for these volunteers.

2. Membership can consist of those alumni involved primarily in housing corporation operations.

3. A combination of chapter advisors and house corporation officers can be involved, and the Alumni IFC can deal with a variety of issues.

4. Faculty advisors may be included for a diversity of opinion and improved relationships among faculty constituencies.

5. The Alumni IFC may play a purely advisory role and include participation of local fraternity alumni who are not presently involved in chapter advisor or house corporation positions.

6. The involvement of sorority alumnae may be a positive addition, particularly if current issues on the campus require solutions from both men's and women's fraternities.

7. Undergraduates need to be exposed to the Alumni IFC organization. The official or informal involvement of IFC officers and/or chapter presidents should be considered in a liaison capacity.

Meetings

1. Monthly or semesterly meetings with a specific purpose

2. Advance notice and agendas to remind members of the meeting and positively encourage their attendance

3. Use of fraternity chapter houses for meetings

4. Use of campus meeting space to expose alumni to new resources

Projects

1. Chapter house corporation officers workshop utilizing resources of the National Interfraternity Conference

2. Annual officer workshops for undergraduate leaders

3. Scholarship recognition

4. Legal advice and regular educational program on liability, risk management, and social hosting

5. Liaison with college/university alumni office for cooperative programs during alumni events, i.e. homecoming, class reunions

6. Liaison with college/university alumni magazine editor for inclusion of regular Greek news

7. Periodic tours of chapter facilities (perhaps in conjunction with meeting location)

8. Annual interfraternity/award banquet for all undergraduate and alumni members

9. Establishment and maintenance of a low-interest loan fund for chapter house renovations

10. Coordination of an annual fraternity to alumni phone-a-thon to raise funds for loan fund or other predetermined purposes

11. Career development workshops and internship opportunities

12. Assist the undergraduate Interfraternity Council with recruitment issues and events such as Fraternity Forum

13. Assist with senior programming and emphasize the fraternity for a lifetime concept

14. Parents Weekend

15. Utilize resources of the alumni office for special chapter anniversaries

16. Community service activities

17. Provide support and role-modeling for chapter Initiation

18. Academic achievement workshops including time management, stress management, and helpful study hints

19. Greek Week programming

20. Model brotherhood and goal setting retreats

21. All -Greek newsletter

22. Membership directory of all-Greek alumni

Issues

1. Risk management and Interfraternity Council alcohol policies

2. Housing

3. Recruitment

4. Community relations and zoning

5. Leadership training

6. Service learning

7. Fundraising

8. Public relations with faculty and administration

9. Cooperative buying

10. Hazing

11. Scholarship

12. Values and ethics

13. Officer training and transition

[Rudey]

For a while we had an alumni IFC for my chapter. It really didn't accomplish a single thing but I did enjoy meeting some of the members. In fact when we were re-chartered, I did invite the Phi Delt IFC alum contact and he came. Nice guy.

-Rudey

[TSteven]

Originally posted by Rudey
For a while we had an alumni IFC for my chapter. It really didn't accomplish a single thing but I did enjoy meeting some of the members. In fact when we were re-chartered, I did invite the Phi Delt IFC alum contact and he came. Nice guy.

-Rudey

Was the Alumni IFC specific to your campus only or was it city wide?

And how was it set up? Was there just a representative from each chapter or could any IFC alumni be a members. And if it was campus specific, then could someone join who did not attend your college as an undergrad?

As a comparison, my understanding of the Alumnae Panhellenics is that generally, they are not campus specific and any NPC member may join. So an ABC could move into a town with an Alumnae Panhellenic and there may be no ABC chapters in the area. Yet she would be able to join the group.

[Rudey]

Originally posted by TSteven
Was the Alumni IFC specific to your campus only or was it city wide?

And how was it set up? Was there just a representative from each chapter or could any IFC alumni be a members. And if it was campus specific, then could someone join who did not attend your college as an undergrad?

As a comparison, my understanding of the Alumnae Panhellenics is that generally, they are not campus specific and any NPC member may join. So an ABC could move into a town with an Alumnae Panhellenic and there may be no ABC chapters in the area. Yet she would be able to join the group.

It was specific to our campus. Generally we had an alumni rep and UChicago fraternity members were encouraged to attend as well along with university administrators. In general, UChicago doesn't really have an IFC or Alumni IFC so the group disintegrated I think.

Some of the meetings were just interesting to me. For example, they had meetings at different houses so you learned about certain costs each house had to deal with (fire improvements, etc.) and how one house had some great tax benefit (I can't remember what it was) that nobody knew about.

-Rudey

[Tom Earp]

I know of two areas where LXA has Metro Alum groups.

Dallas and San Antonia.

I think a lot would depend on how many Chapters are in an area.

We tried one in K C twice but it didnt work.

[TSteven]

I believe that Taualumna's original post has to do with umbrella organizations that is made up of different fraternities and not any one particular GLO that may have a regional/metro alumni group that is specific to only that one GLO.

[IO704]

Originally posted by Tom Earp
I know of two areas where LXA has Metro Alum groups.

Dallas and San Antonia.

I think a lot would depend on how many Chapters are in an area.

We tried one in K C twice but it didnt work.

Why the hell wouldn't they have one in NY?? There is only one chapter here but I am willing to bet there are hundreds, if not thousands of each organizations members here.

[Tom Earp]

Originally posted by IO704
Why the hell wouldn't they have one in NY?? There is only one chapter here but I am willing to bet there are hundreds, if not thousands of each organizations members here.

Actually, I am not sure. Oh, You are Being Sarcastic, I think! DAH!

Most NICs have only Alum Chaptere in Close Proximiety,. not NPC GLOs.

NPC seems to try to have a "Closer Relationship" whether it be true or not.

So let Me ask You a question, why would ABC or XYZ want to affilliate with Other GLOs and not theirt own?

[KSigkid]

I'd never heard of that until reading it here. My org has an alumni association that meets regularly in the area, but I had no idea there were Greek-wide ones.