37.020:  Formation of Alumni Organizations and Sponsorship of Alumni Activities

Status:	Approved on March 31, 2003	Signatures and dates on archival copy
Effective:	September 1, 2002
Initiated by:	Margaret Sheskey Assistant Vice President for University Advancement
Reviewed by:	Nancy Prichard Crist, Chair Policy and Procedure Review Committee
Endorsed by:	Leonard Raley Vice President for University Advancement
Approved by:	Stephen Kopp Provost

Purpose

To provide colleges, schools, departments, sanctioned student organizations and interest groups, and alumni at-large with policies and implementation procedures for establishing alumni organizations and for sponsoring alumni activities with the primary purpose of promoting the mission and purpose of Ohio University.

Policy

Ohio University officially recognizes only one Alumni Association. The Ohio University Alumni Association in accordance with its bylaws and directives must charter all alumni organizations, clubs, groups, societies or corporate partners. Failure to conform to the following procedures can result in the revocation of the group's charter.

Procedures

I.  Establishment of Alumni Organizations

1. The Ohio University Alumni Association, the official alumni association of the institution, grants charters to alumni groups. These groups may represent colleges, schools, departments, groups based on interests or affiliations, corporate entities or organizations, or be based on a geographic location where critical masses of alumni reside. The Alumni Association recommends the designation "Society of Alumni and Friends" for University entities (i.e., college, school, department or interest group organizations); "Chapter" for geographically based organizations; and "Partner" for groups based on corporate or other programmatic affiliation. The term "association" may not be used for an alumni constituent group's designation.

2. The Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations at Ohio University, or his or her designee, shall be contacted about procedures for establishing constituent alumni groups. The Bylaws of the Ohio University Alumni Association define the procedures for establishment of such organizations. Adherence to these procedures is required of all groups desiring to form alumni organizations. The procedures outline the requirements pertaining to membership and administrative policy for these organizations.

II.  Sponsorship of Alumni Activities

A.  Role of the Office of Alumni Relations

The Office of Alumni Relations will assist University units planning or sponsoring alumni activities on campus.

B.  Communications

The Office of Alumni Relations, which coordinates all Alumni Association programs, must be consulted in advance of all planned alumni activities sponsored by colleges, schools, and departments of the institution. Announcements of alumni activities and programs must first be reviewed and approved with the Office of Alumni Relations to ensure that no scheduling conflicts occur.

All communications from the alumni organizations, including minutes of meetings, announcements of events, agendas, newsletters, flyers, and Web pages must be reviewed on a regular basis with the Office of Alumni Relations staff. Official publications must state that the organization is officially chartered by, recognized by, and affiliated with the Ohio University Alumni Association. (Please refer to Policy 31.010, "Publication of Periodicals Distributed to Off-Campus Audiences," for procedures concerning periodicals and newsletters distributed off campus.)

C.  Mailing Lists

Advancement Services develops and maintains all alumni mailing lists, and makes labels available for approved publications. Alumni groups, colleges, units, and departments who wish to obtain mailing lists or labels must submit a written request to the Advancement Services staff, who, in consultation with the Office of Alumni Relations, must approve such requests before the list or labels will be provided.

D.  Fund Raising

Alumni organizations must consult the Office of Development if they plan to conduct fund-raising projects. (Please refer to Policy 37.001, "Fund Raising from Private Sources.") Likewise, any alumni organization that desires to charge dues must first consult the Office of Alumni Relations.

E.  Logo Design

The Ohio University Alumni Association utilizes the official university logo. The logo must be a component of all printed materials of alumni organizations, and must be a component of the home page of any alumni organization's Web site.

F.  Services

The Ohio University Alumni Association sponsors a number of special membership service programs for all alumni. These include an alumni travel program, life and health insurance, a merchandising program, credit card program, and Web services program. Alumni organizations are not permitted to sponsor special service programs without prior approval of the Assistant Vice President, Alumni Relations.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Policy and Procedure Review Committee

2. Dean of Students

Forms

The following form is specific to this policy:

1. The "Information Services List/Label Request" forms are available from Advancement Services.

Dick Piccard and Kristina Schnelle revised this file (http://www.ohiou.edu/policy/37-020.html) on April 1, 2003.

Please E-mail any comments or suggestions to "polproc@www.ohiou.edu".