PhiSig,
Right on the money - the key is to establish rapport with the undergraduate members in an informal way to start, especially for a chapter that may have not seen alumni involvement for some time.
When I was a chapter advisor for a chapter about an hour from where I live, my first visit to the house was a trip - they claimed I was the first true "alumni" (not counting those just graduating the previous semester) to stop by the house in two years. I got to know them, went and saw Ritual (performed very well, actually), and then started the process of becoming their advisor and starting an Alumni Board. The chapter was extremely receptive, and, although there were fights over them wanting to do things explicitly illegal according to our Constitution, they knew my role was not to "run" the chapter, rather, to counsel them on all matters they voted or proposed. Our Chapter Advisor manual specifically stated to "allow mistakes to be made" - not big ones, obviously, but, this is where leadership is developed - learning your own lessons, but, at the same time, not having to reinvent the wheel.
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Don't be your brother's keeper; rather, be your brother's Brother.
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