The administration's adviser to the Illinois State University Student Alumni Council examines the benefits of student participation in alumni affairs, outlines some considerations in the creation and development of a new student alumni program, and suggests program possibilities for different constituencies, including alumni, students, future…

Properly designed and properly evaluated, entrepreneurial activities can have many kinds of positive financial and non-financial results for an alumni program. A service or product line that alumni can not get from any other source can benefit the budget and both internal and external goodwill. (MSE)

When crisis strikes, internal audiences at institutions of higher education need accurate information which depends on groundwork laid during good times. Key principles for emergency communication include predicting disasters by reading internal warning signs; preventing a potential crisis from growing; and preparing for smooth communications…

College alumni associations can use new events management software for effective, innovative event planning. Possible applications are illustrated in the cases of three universities. Information is provided on planning time, budget, hardware and software used, software uses, evidence of event success, and lessons learned. Planning considerations…

An estate planning seminar is a personal and cost-effective tool for alerting college constituents to a financial opportunity. Such seminars are not hard to coordinate, are a service to alumni and friends, and may bring long-term benefits to college and participants. Experiences at a number of colleges illustrate diverse approaches. (MSE)

Basic principles of designing a reunion gift program include beginning small, researching class prospects, gathering volunteers, determining the financial goal, communicating needs and intentions, organizing volunteers, advertising well, and making the donation at the reunion a major event. More ambitious plans can be tied into the program later.…

Although volunteers serve many useful functions in fund raising, soliciting gifts should be left to staff. Volunteers are hard to recruit, keep, motivate, are unreliable, lacking in expertise, and they can balk at the realities of development tasks. Development offices should carefully think through the appropriate roles for these individuals.…

It is proposed that an external audit of a college advancement program is analogous to a periodic physical examination that offers objectivity and expertise. Audits are appropriate at the time of administrative transitions, performance difficulties, and even periods of sustained success. Guidelines and expectations are discussed. (MSE)

College programs targeting parents as potential donors are discussed. Factors to be considered in program development, such as finding the right constituency, approaching them, program budgeting, and incorporating the program into others, are examined. Benefits of such programs are seen as substantial. (MSE)

Emory University (Georgia) has advanced its fundraising by leveraging a $2 million challenge from the Coca-Cola Foundation. The school publicized the challenge, made the case for an added incentive to give, and integrated advancement functions to get greater results. Challenge grants can come from industry, foundations, and alumni; and careful…

Arguments for and against formal alumni chapters are outlined. Pros include increased membership, better leadership, and strengthened development potential; cost effectiveness is possible. Cons include direct and indirect costs; informal alumni structures are seen as equally effective. (MSE)

Parents can offer a college time, loyalty, and money. Leading roles currently played by parents in campus programs include recruiter, career counselor, political supporter, and fundraiser. Keeping track of parents, organizing and orienting them as volunteers, funding the programs, and assessing the efforts' effectiveness are important elements.…

Colleges and universities can use electronic services such as bulletin boards and electronic mail to both reach out to and keep in touch with alumni. Such services are already being used with some success. Many institutions will find that the technology is already in place on campus. (MSE)

Advancement services, the group of functions that support fundraising and alumni relations, has evolved to include donor relations and stewardship, data processing analysis and programing, budget development and analysis, and event management. Centralizing these services under a single manager can lead to greater productivity. (MSE)

A study investigated the type, activities, and regional context of alumni associations at 124 2-year colleges. Results indicate the most successful programs had more staff and fiscal resources, were well established, had fewer alumni in the area, were not members of the National Council for Resource Development, and emphasized personal…