Whether facing budget and staff cuts or event logistics, alumni associations can make good use of volunteers. Three important rules for volunteer program management include maintaining good volunteer relationships, knowing when to ask for help, and recruiting good veteran, novice, and even nonalumni volunteers. (MSE)

Alumni with drive and influence can help a college alumni organization meet its long-term goals. Prospective donors may be willing volunteers, and regular review of the alumni notes may suggest volunteers. A diverse volunteer group can best represent diverse alumni populations. Challenging, meaningful assignments that tap expertise are the most…

Two models of administering college and university alumni chapters--using volunteers or paid staff--are compared, based on comments from alumni directors who have addressed the issues. A flexible club structure, which integrates a fully structured, chartered-chapter model with two versions of predominantly staff-driven models, is proposed as…

Points to consider when contemplating a national alumni program are reviewed, including: (1) the program will be expensive, (2) a national clubs organization will take staff time, (3) volunteers will be used effectively, and (4) the college will come alive to those who rarely get to the campus. (MLW)

Fourteen principles for successful operation of a small collegiate alumni program are presented. They address such issues as planning, setting priorities, making decisions, routinizing procedures, using technology, creating a climate for cooperation and productivity, getting volunteers, keeping staff longer, and maintaining a balance between…

Four experienced college alumni volunteers offer information and opinions on how and why they became volunteers, how they serve, amount of time spent volunteering, what the alumni office does that is most helpful, how to keep volunteers from feeling overburdened, how to reward volunteers, and working with a spouse. (MSE)

Five tactics used by the University of Massachusetts to make alumni operations effective with minimal cost include assuring the campus administration's commitment to alumni club programming, training chapter volunteers on campus and through regional visits, controlling mailing costs, planning events in a cost-effective manner, and deciding whether…

Results of a national survey of colleges and universities concerning alumni involvement in off-campus community service programs indicate a broad variety of activities. Steps to take in establishing and managing an alumni association community service project are outlined. (MSE)

Advice is offered for making college alumni reunions successful fund-raising events, illustrated with ideas used by several institutions. Suggestions include long-range planning, leadership by complementary cochairmen, recruitment of committed volunteers, flexible structuring of class committees, continual coaching of volunteers, and establishing…

College alumni program professionals offer specific ways to make good use of limited resources in the areas of program planning, scheduling, time management, staff communication, use of technology, involvement of board members, use of volunteers and student workers, coordination with other campus programs, and staff motivation and appreciation…

This three-part handbook presents 22 articles dealing with the implementation and operation of fund-raising and community support programs for two-year colleges. Part I outlines the reasons for developing sources of private funds and provides information on the establishment and use of foundations, the administrative organization of fund-raising…