UMAlumni.com: Best Practices for Alumni Clubs

Home

Club Mission

Club Events

Collaboration

Leadership Succession

Scholarship and Student Support

Public Relations and Promotion

Membership

Financial Basics

Establishing an ongoing program that involves new members in the planning and implementation of activities sponsored by the club encourages and prepares them to assume direction of such activities.

Ideas for Making This Happen
How We Can Help
How Other Clubs Have Made This Happen

Ideas for Making This Happen

Communicate the roles and expectations of officers to all club members
Start club members in small roles, such as asking them to coordinate an event or an aspect of an event (such as publicity)
Ask people to get involved-don't assume they will voluntarily ask for the responsibility
Have a succession structure outlined in your club's bylaws
Think about who would make a good future officer and cultivate those relationships-don't wait until the week before the board elections to look for candidates
Divide responsibilities up among a greater number of people, rather than giving a few people greater responsibilities

top

How We Can Help

Teach your club's MAC administrator how to query MAC to target emails to alumni of certain ages or other demographics
Provide samples of other clubs bylaws for use in preparing your own
Review drafts of your club's bylaws and offer suggestions
Work with your club to identify possible new leaders

top

How Other Clubs Have Made This Happen

The U of M Club of Grand Rapids has a board of directors and an advisory board. The advisory board consists of past club presidents and newer club members who want to become more involved, but might not have the time or experience necessary to serve as full board members. Serving on the advisory board provides these members a chance to provide meaningful and needed assistance on the club's various projects-and allows current board members to determine who might be ready to step up as an officer.

The U of M Club of Greater Chicago has a very detailed plan for leadership succession in its bylaws. There are 15 directors and eight officers. Director terms are three years and have varying expiration dates, which ensures that two-thirds of the board will remain constant but one-third could change. The club has incorporated term limits of six years (two renewable terms). The vice president assumes the presidency at the annual meeting. Officer terms are one year.

The U of M Club of Manistee enlists future leaders by offering members opportunities to participate in popular, high-profile activities such as awarding scholarships and speaking at student receptions.

The president of the U of M Club of San Diego hosts an annual barbecue to thank the board for its hard work.