Changes within your GLO - Implications and Relations with Actives

[Kevin]

When I signed up and paid my initiate fee, I was told that it included a lifetime subscription to our magazine, "The Delta."

It's great to have the multimedia-enhanced version, but really, nothing replaces seeing it in print. It's a great thing to have on my coffee table. It's a good reminder of my lifelong commitment. I do realize that the fraternity has a significant financial burden here, but really, a newsletter is absolutely vital to a cohesive and lucrative alumni operation. Seeing it in some tangible form is something I feel is vital.

I'd be strongly against moving to an electronic-only medium. This is one of those expenses which I don't think we can afford not to have. Tom, while the overall cost of 250,000 members may seem pretty daunting, keep in mind that is 250,000 members who *could* be giving money. Even a very small amount (say, $10/month/member) could be absolutely huge to the national fraternity.

Boodle, for $5.00/month for local, I have no idea how y'all operate. It doesn't seem to me that you'd have much of that "power of the purse strings" with such a small amount flowing into the coffers. That's barely enough to fund a newsletter!

Now, $5/month would be more like it. See if you can't find something like Paypal to direct-debit it from donors' checking accounts on a monthly basis. To be more than a social, twice-a-year meeting where we all get together and argue about what college kids should be doing, we need money. It's a lot easier to tell an active chapter, "Do this and you get x$" than it is to say "Do this."

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by Kevin

When I signed up and paid my initiate fee, I was told that it included a lifetime subscription to our magazine, "The Delta."

It's great to have the multimedia-enhanced version, but really, nothing replaces seeing it in print. It's a great thing to have on my coffee table. It's a good reminder of my lifelong commitment. I do realize that the fraternity has a significant financial burden here, but really, a newsletter is absolutely vital to a cohesive and lucrative alumni operation. Seeing it in some tangible form is something I feel is vital.

I'd be strongly against moving to an electronic-only medium. This is one of those expenses which I don't think we can afford not to have. Tom, while the overall cost of 250,000 members may seem pretty daunting, keep in mind that is 250,000 members who *could* be giving money. Even a very small amount (say, $10/month/member) could be absolutely huge to the national fraternity.

Boodle, for $5.00/month for local, I have no idea how y'all operate. It doesn't seem to me that you'd have much of that "power of the purse strings" with such a small amount flowing into the coffers. That's barely enough to fund a newsletter!

Now, $5/month would be more like it. See if you can't find something like Paypal to direct-debit it from donors' checking accounts on a monthly basis. To be more than a social, twice-a-year meeting where we all get together and argue about what college kids should be doing, we need money. It's a lot easier to tell an active chapter, "Do this and you get x$" than it is to say "Do this."

Kevin, I agree in many ways with you!

As the first Alumni President of my chapter, we asked for only $25.00 a year Alum dues. We got 35 Brothers to give to it.

Now, as to the electronic magazine, I was along with many others totally against it. Like you and many others from all GLOs it was nice to see in the mail box and read cover to cover.

But as with SN, LXA promised a life time subscription also.

But, we all have come in the throws of money problems for many reasons.

Times are changing of course as we all know and we as members must change along with them.

With the electronic, I have been able to read so much more and if I wish to save it, I hit the button and print it. But, it is saved in the data bank for later re-reading.

I know only to well what you are talking about so do not worry, I too felt pangs of anger and worry!

Dang it takes some time to get used to!

I am used to it now and happy!

[nate2512]

I think a strong alumni chapter can be vital to a chapter. I know if we hadn't have had our alumni come together we would have inevitably lost our charter. But now we have the biggest alumni chapter in the world and they are building us a half million dollar house as well as financing rush for the forseeable future

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by nate2512

I think a strong alumni chapter can be vital to a chapter. I know if we hadn't have had our alumni come together we would have inevitably lost our charter. But now we have the biggest alumni chapter in the world and they are building us a half million dollar house as well as financing rush for the forseeable future

You are absolutly correct. The Alumni Chapter can be a very big help! The problem seems to stem from undergraduate chapters not keeping Alums in the loop except for asking to be bailed out over and over.

The main thing is keeping a web site updated with an Alum Site link if there is one.

Keeping the Alums updated with what is going on with time and dates of functions that they can come back to. Make them still feel like still part of the chapter.

Sounds like you have done something right!

[Kevin]

It's up to the alums to stay involved with the chapter as much as it is up to the chapter to stay involved with the alums.

The Alumni officer in the chapter should not be thought of as a lower-tier stair-stepping position. It should be a pretty big deal.

There should be a great deal of collaboration between the actives and the alumni chapter in the newsletter.

The Alumni chapter needs to make sure it offers qualified advisers to the chapter officers.

The Alumni chapter needs to financially be able to support the chapter.

The Alumni chapter needs to keep the House Corp. staffed with the best it can offer.

The Alumni chapter needs to be willing to offer 'strong guidance' when it is needed, and when it is not to keep its influence to a minimum. Let the chapter run itself.

A healthy interaction will ensure the chapter is a success.

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by Kevin

When I signed up and paid my initiate fee, I was told that it included a lifetime subscription to our magazine, "The Delta."

I wish someone had made the decision for us to do that way back in the dim, dark past, but they didn't, and as I said earlier, it's too late now. Alums get the magazine free for one year after graduation.

Like you, I like having the hard copy -- it's one of the few magazines I get that never gets thrown away/recycled. I have quite a collection.

Originally Posted by Kevin

It's up to the alums to stay involved with the chapter as much as it is up to the chapter to stay involved with the alums.

. . . .

I agree with all that you said here, although we are organized a little differently, in that we don't have alumni chapters as such. We have local alumni associtions, which are made up of alums in a given area, but the alums of specific chapters are not organized in any kind of formal way. (Remember that most of our chapters don't have houses, so housing support isn't an issue.)

Some chapters are better than others about maintaining good communications with chapter alums. I can say I have seen increasing effort and energy coming from our headquarters over the past 10 years or so to increase alumni involvement/connection on national and provincial levels and to support chapters in doing the same on a chapter level.

[Tom Earp]

MysticCat,

I think most of NIC do not Alumni Chapters, but Alumni Associations.

I cannot speak for anyone elses organization, but our LXA Alumni Assoctions are working at the local chapter level working with the chapter with time and money.

But I do know that two areas for LX have Alumni Associations that are combined from several chapters. Dallas and San Antonio are two that come to mind.

Like DeltAlum, we were promised our magazine for life. Life is short especially if the National is hurting. It still was untill a few years ago.

But if someone wants to get it then they do have to notify IHQ of an email address. They still should notify IHQ's about changes of address and phone. Whose fault is it if they don't?

Heck, this is just like the 20-80 % factor. Those that do and those that don't!

[Boodleboy322]

All - We decided to keep the local alumni association dues as is and put the remaining balance in our local treasury.

Kevin - Great point about keeping the actual magazine around the coffee table. I do the same thing. The $5.00 a year subscription is sent to IHQ and is managed there for the printing and mailing of the magazine only. There are other donations sent in to IHQ via some of the offices like our Sinfonian Education Foundation and some brothers will donate a percentage of their estate to IHQ when they pass away.

Mystic Cat - You are correct. We currently have no National type of Housing Office or committee but some of the chapters around the US have their own house facilitated through their own alumni. In my opinion, I hope to see this concept carry over to IHQ and get adopted some day. The Delta Tau Delta website has some really good information on building a house and starting a committee. Some of the leadership and responsibility opportunities that it could bring to the table are worth considering. Sooner or later this will show up at the National Assembly and I will be there.

Everyone here has brought some really good stuff to the table. I appreciate everyone's input.

Regards,

Boodleboy322