Alumni Advisory Board

[Ottor 246]

Do any of you brothers work with a chapter with a functioning AAB? We have never had one, but I talked to our High Pi, and he's on board for getting one going. We've read the stuff on LambdaChi.org, but it doesn't really give you much on the actual function of the board.

We envision a team of alumni brothers, each of whom would be assigned to advise an individual undergraduate officer, based on the alum's qualifications, either through fraternal or life experience. For example, a brother who works in public relations would be the advisor to the High Beta (or High Theta.) That way, the undergrad has a resource if he gets stuck.

We're thinking the AAB members would attend an officer meeting or workshop once a semester and communicate the rest of the time by phone and email.

Does that sound like a workable model? I'm supposed to propose something at our annual meeting on Saturday.

Thanks!

[docroc67]

Brother,

Zeta-Upsilon Zeta has a functioning Alumni Advisory Board for our Colony (AAB). IHQ can provide training and a manual to help start an AAB. I suggest that you contact Aaron Parker for additional information.

We have 12 Brothers, including two from other Zetas, who are on our AAB. We also have an AAB Chair who coordinates and troubleshoots the program.

The model you mentioned is the model we use. We use a combination of face-to-face, e-mail, and telephone contacts with the Colony Officer.

Training is important because there are more issues to deal with than you might think about ahead of time on your own.

We believe that the AAB is essential in building a great Chapter and in fostering good communications between the undergraduates and our Alumni.

It is a lot of work to set-up, but it can lead to great improvement in Zeta operations and Alumni relations.

Go for it!

Yours in ZAX,

Mike Raymond

[john1082]

I'd echo what Mike has said. You've got the right model, now comes the tough part: Populating the Board? Please forgive me, but ould you refresh my memory and tell me where your chapter is located? Never know what names I have in the Rollodex.

[Tom Earp]

LOL, ottor is Shippensburg that I admire very much for the accomlishments that they have done=Penn.

IHQ wants or would like three areas for or from Alums.

1. House Corporation if needed.

2. Alumni Advisory Board.

3. Alumni Association.

None will serve on the same committee. But as usall there are so manyb Alums who do.

1. HC will do for the House. If need be.
2. Alum Association will deal with Alums and try to coranate with the High Rho.
3. Advisory Board will deal with the Chapter and any problems. Work with the High Pi.

Sounds good on paper if there are enuff envoled.

[Ottor 246]

Our alumni have never had all three groups. We did, at one time, have separate Alumni Association and Housing Corporation, but once we went in with LCAP on the house, we disolved the housing corp, which was broke, having spent all their funds on the downpayment on the new house. Now the AA handles alumni events and house/LCAP issues. Probably not the best possible set up, but it's not a battle I'm ready to fight right now.

The AAB would be a new thing for us. With our 25th anniversary celebration coming up in April, we're hoping to be able to recruit some "older" alumni. If we set things up so each AAB member has a single UG to advise, it shouldn't be a huge time commitment for anyone. Less time=more willing volunteers. (I hope.)

I've been an alumni volunteer for 3 years, and in that time, I've seen the alumni blindsided about once a semester by a "huge problem" that could have easily been handled with a meeting or a phone call, if the undergraduate officer had let us know about it three weeks sooner. I'm hoping that an AAB will help our chapter focus more on accomplishing goals and less on putting out fires.

Wish me luck!

[docroc67]

Brothers,

Zeta-Upsilon was in the same situation a few years ago. We transferred our Chapter House to LCAP and reorganized our Alumni efforts. We went from a House Corporation to an Alumni Association.

Our way of addressing the different functions of our new Association was to write by-laws that incorporated three standing committees: AA Board, Alumni Activities, and LCAP relations. Each of these standing committtees has a Chair who is primarily responsible for that particular area. The full Board of 12 members, including three Colony representatives and the High Pi, meets four to six times a year.

We have put out an electronic newsletter for something like 56 months in a row; published a new history book; held Homecoming, Alumni Reunion Weekend, Founders Day, and golfing events for years; and we have an Alumni chat page, website, and speciality sites for the AAB, Alumni Ritual Team, and High Pi and Faculty Advisor.

I hope that this information helps.

Yours in ZAX,

Mike Raymond,
ZUZAA

[boz130]

Alpha-Iota uses the same model. We're going to have a 2nd meeting in the next few weeks. I originally worked with Northwestern's Betas, having served as VP back in the Pleistocene era. Since my job has taken to working with alumni concerns, I've started advising the Rho.

FWIW, John's point about getting warm bodies in place is well-taken. However, one way to get people involved is to do a mailing to area alums (including those not necessarily from the host chapter).

Two guys that howed up @ the 1st Northwestern meeting last fall went to Michigan and The Ohio State University. Iowa State and Elmhurst have also sent letters and gotten results.

If anybody's interested in getting a .pdf of the letter(s), drop me a PM.

In ZAX,
BF

[Tom Earp]

It is also a good idea to have Advisory Board members who live in the area.
We had a core group of Alums, but most were not local so had to drive a ways to work with the chapter. Held the chapter together, but not like those that may be a short trip and attend weekly meetings if necessary.

It can be a big plus in a mentoring situation.

Try to also have some Alums who can work with certain officers.

For me, it runs in the order of:

Alpha
Tau
Rho
Kappa.

[ZetaPhi708]

Can we alums get training for an AAB at Leadership Seminars?

Hey Boz, send me a copy of the letters also to my email address....will PM you my email....

[john1082]

Yes, this training is available. If they cannot make it to a Leadership Seminar then perhaps a road show can be arranged.

[LXAAlum]

Originally Posted by boz130

FWIW, John's point about getting warm bodies in place is well-taken. However, one way to get people involved is to do a mailing to area alums (including those not necessarily from the host chapter).

You can get a mailing list by geographic areas from HQ to help in this type of effort - UNC and Colorado State had a wide variety of alumni involvement from a variety of chapters. Usually, the chapter (or alumni org) needs to reach out to these alums....some might not even be aware a chapter is relatively nearby, and simply inviting them can open up the old purple, green, and gold memory banks and bring them in.

I wouldn't drop anyone from the mailing list for two or three cycles - we all know how life can get for us after college, and sometimes the time isn't right the first one or two mailings, but things do have a way of changing for alums over time.

[Tom Earp]

Excellent LXAAlum.

The thing is finding LXA in the immediate area. Larger cities or areas with many Zetas always work as many Alums will stay not all that far from a chapter.

This would also help with a High Pi from another Zeta who is a little older and has had experience.

While we istitued the system that IHQ suggested with AAB, HC, and Alum Association, it has help to define who does what and is not a task on any one group of people. Spread the wealth around so to speak, or not wear out the few staunch workers.

We tried to set a Mentoring group up for Alums and new Officers but it did not take off. It is still a good idea and will try to get it back into the loop.