UConn Foundation Takes Control of Alumni Relations

[Nostical]

This is actually pretty significant. It's a further recognition that our endowment is wanting and an indictment of how our alumni structure was ill equipped to take advantage of all of our 230,000 alumni wallets, since they only engaged with dues paying members and thus squandered opportunities. There's a lot of low hanging donatable fruit out there and now the professionals are going to be making the effort. Just another sign we are once again moving into the big leagues after too many years of neglect. The shorthand of what is below is this. No longer will dues be paid by any alumni but there willnow be a much greater push for total alumni involvement and contributions headed up by the professionals in The Uconn Foundation office.


Dear UConn Alumni,
As you may have heard, the University of Connecticut is working to implement a new model for alumni engagement, including the possibility of an expanded partnership with the UConn Foundation, an independent organization that functions solely to support the University through the engagement of alumni and friends.

The reasons are many. First, we want to connect - and in many cases, reconnect - with all alumni, not just those who pay dues to the Alumni Association. As a result of this change, by virtue of your alumni status you automatically would be treated as a lifetime associate of the University, along with some 230,000 of your fellow UConn graduates, rather than having to pay dues in order to belong.

You worked hard to achieve the honor of being a UConn alum, and staying connected with the University and fellow graduates shouldn't come at a cost. You've earned that privilege through your efforts in the classroom and, subsequently, in life.
In addition, we want alumni to receive consistent messages and news that helps you stay abreast of developments on campus, and have a much more coordinated point of service for all alumni and friends.

By merging alumni relations with our institutional advancement efforts, we also become more efficient stewards of our resources by aligning alumni outreach functions into one independent advocacy organization that exists solely to support the University, its students, its faculty, and its future.

Lastly - but certainly not least - we want to do this with the continued support and participation of the many alumni who have contributed so much to the University over the years as volunteers and loyal friends. For all these reasons, the University has asked the UConn Foundation to take a leadership role in alumni relations going forward. If the Foundation board accepts this opportunity, a formal plan will later be presented to the UConn Board of Trustees.

 

[SubbaBub]

^^^^ yup, this is the right move.

 

[CTMike]

I feel like the message has been botched a bit (maybe it's just the Courant being the Courant)... Instead of "Mean UConn shuttering Alumni Association!", I think it's more "we are folding alumni association operations in to the UConn Foundation for a unified approach in alumni engagement and fundraising."

I suppose it's a minor nit to pick. At any rate, I wholeheartedly agree with the approach. More unified, the better.

 

[ThetaZoo]

This is actually pretty significant. It's a further recognition that our endowment is wanting and an indictment of how our alumni structure was ill equipped to take advantage of all of our 230,000 alumni wallets, since they only engaged with dues paying members and thus squandered opportunities. There's a lot of low hanging donatable fruit out there and now the professionals are going to be making the effort. Just another sign we are once again moving into the big leagues after too many years of neglect. The shorthand of what is below is this. No longer will dues be paid by any alumni but there willnow be a much greater push for total alumni involvement and contributions headed up by the professionals in The Uconn Foundation office.


Dear UConn Alumni,
As you may have heard, the University of Connecticut is working to implement a new model for alumni engagement, including the possibility of an expanded partnership with the UConn Foundation, an independent organization that functions solely to support the University through the engagement of alumni and friends.

The reasons are many. First, we want to connect - and in many cases, reconnect - with all alumni, not just those who pay dues to the Alumni Association. As a result of this change, by virtue of your alumni status you automatically would be treated as a lifetime associate of the University, along with some 230,000 of your fellow UConn graduates, rather than having to pay dues in order to belong.

You worked hard to achieve the honor of being a UConn alum, and staying connected with the University and fellow graduates shouldn't come at a cost. You've earned that privilege through your efforts in the classroom and, subsequently, in life.
In addition, we want alumni to receive consistent messages and news that helps you stay abreast of developments on campus, and have a much more coordinated point of service for all alumni and friends.

By merging alumni relations with our institutional advancement efforts, we also become more efficient stewards of our resources by aligning alumni outreach functions into one independent advocacy organization that exists solely to support the University, its students, its faculty, and its future.

Lastly - but certainly not least - we want to do this with the continued support and participation of the many alumni who have contributed so much to the University over the years as volunteers and loyal friends. For all these reasons, the University has asked the UConn Foundation to take a leadership role in alumni relations going forward. If the Foundation board accepts this opportunity, a formal plan will later be presented to the UConn Board of Trustees.

Got an invitation to see UConn's page on LinkedIn. Did this just happen? If so, they're not wasting anytime.