Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
Sharing Your Success
The Value of Measuring & Sharing Your Accomplishments
Presenter: Frank Hundley RC’86
RUAA Board of Directors
Alumni Trustee, Rutgers Board of Trustees
Member, Rutgers Board of Governors Committee on
Alumni and University Relations
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
Critical to Understanding the Success
of the Rutgers Alumni
• “How am I doing?”
~Ed Koch, former Mayor of New York City
Anything worth doing is worth doing well
• Collectively, WE are the RUAA
• OUR metrics together are the RUAA metrics
– But, how do we know?
– And, what do we do about it?
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
A Difficult Task
• University level metrics are very difficult
• Particularly measuring alumni engagement
– A national issue, not a Rutgers issue
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
Perils and Hazards of Metrics
• Be careful not to focus measurement on donor giving
– Create the "they only want my money" mentality
– Likely miss opportunity to develop
alumni ambassadors and advocates
– Doesn't measure satisfaction
– “State University Syndrome”
• Don’t Be Guilty of Over-Praising
– "We do everything right!" gets tedious and boring
– Brings no challenge to volunteers
– They may not feel needed or valued
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
Case Study
University of Portland Model
• Portland's Objective
– Increase what the university knows about it's alumni
– Increase alumni involvement in the life of the university
– Increase alumni financial support for the university
• 5-StepPlan
1. Assemble a peer group
2. Spell out goals
3. Establish metrics
4. Be organized
5. Use information and establish benchmarks to improve
• Alumni involvement/ engagement 6-point rating scale system
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
The Rutgers Model
Our Strategic Plan
• Based on our Mission –
"Advance Rutgers University by Engaging All Alumni“
• Six Fundamental Strategies to accomplish
1. Include All Alumni Organizations
2. Emphasize the Importance of Rutgers
3. Add value to Rutgers and its missions
4. Build a world‐class alumni relations program
5. Strengthen Rutgers' high regard for its alumni
6. Commits to integrity, service and diversity
• Our approach is similar, but tuned to Rutgers needs & timing
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
So..... How ARE We Doing?......
Organized by Strategic Plan Objective:
(MODIFIED ANNUAL REPORT VIDEO HERE)
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
Rutgers is at the Forefront of Alumni
Relations Measurements
• Our metrics are at the forefront among the national Alumni Relations
community
• Nationally recognized for our metrics in a difficult environment
• Donna Thornton, Vice President for Alumni Relations, and her team teach,
present, and consult with alumni organizations around the country,
including the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
We USE the data you provide
• Not to measure or grade you
• To serve you and improve
our service to you
• To increase visibility of your
organization and its great work
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
What now?
• Impressed? Most Certainly
• How do we collectively follow this?
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
We are not done . . .
• We need critical feedback from you!
– Constructive, not obstructive
– Two-way communication
-
• Benchmark best practices
• Remember…
– Collectively, WE are the RUAA
– OUR metrics together are the RUAA metrics
Alumni Leaders Conference
October 14, 2011
Thank you!
Questions?