Volunteer Handbook
Regional Alumni Clubs Supplement
Revised March 2012
Regional Alumni Club
Structure and Leadership
The alumni club is led by local volunteers with the support of
the Alumni Association. Local alumni clubs are always
looking for new volunteers to help create, plan, and staff
events across the country and around the world.
The vision of these clubs is to connect alumni, parents, and
friends to the University by creating a range of opportunities
so appealing that all alumni will seek to remain engaged with
the University and each other.
Regional Alumni Club
Leadership Roles
President/Regional Contact
• provides strategic leadership and maintain contacts
with the Alumni Association liaison, development
liaisons, and volunteer leaders from the Alumni Board
of Governors, Alumni Schools Committee, and other
University graduate and professional schools as
needed
• takes overall responsibility for the club’s activities
• convenes volunteer meetings
• works with secretary to submit a simple annual report
to the Alumni Association
• recruits other volunteer leaders and helps identify
his/her successor
Vice President
• generally supports the role of the president in carrying
out strategic oversight of the club in order to ensure
smooth transition and oversees many club
programming activities
• recruits other volunteer leaders and helps identify
his/her successor
• ideally, serves as the next club president
Program Chair
(larger clubs should consider two people for this role)
• coordinates upcoming events
• manages volunteers who are planning events
• ensures proper marketing and communication of the
events by maintaining contact with the Alumni
Association
Secretary
• sends announcements of upcoming board meetings
to club officers and board members
• takes minutes of all meetings and sends them to
members and to the Alumni Association liaison
• works with the club president to submit simple
annual report to the Alumni Association
Regional Alumni Club
Leadership Roles Cont’d
Careers and Networking Chair (as needed)
• in conjunction with the Alumni Association and the
Alumni Board of Governors, coordinates externships,
interview skills workshops, networking, and careerrelated events
Volunteer/Outreach Chair
• coordinates networking and outreach role to attract
new volunteers and welcome new alumni to the
community
• attends social events and helps bridge connections
between other University groups
Regional Alumni Club
Additional Resources
Biannual printed brochures are available for our five largest
communities. All other regions have the ability to send up to
four postcards per year.
Groups wishing to take advantage of this resource should
contact the Alumni Association liaison as early as possible to
coordinate details.
Event Submission Sample: Brochure
Title:
(Max 15 words)
Date:
Day, Month
Description:
(One paragraph, + /- 50 words or 300 characters, including
spaces)
Time:
6-8:15 p.m. or 7-9 p.m.
Location:
Location
Address Line 1
Address Line 2
(No zip codes, and abbreviate north, south, street, etc.)
Cost:
$XX/person includes XXX
Contact:
(Max 20 words)
Register by XX/XX online at website. Questions? Contact
Firstname Lastname at name@ uchicago.edu or xxx.xxx.xxxx.
Regional Alumni Club
Sample By-Laws
Clubs are not required to use the following sample by-laws;
however, all by-laws must be reviewed by the Alumni
Association prior to filing.
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this organization is the University of Chicago
Alumni Club of (INSERT CITY OR REGION NAME).
ARTICLE II: MISSION STATEMENT
The common purpose of University of Chicago alumni clubs
and organizations is to provide opportunities for alumni,
parents, and friends of the University of Chicago to meet to
serve as its advocate, articulating the role and direction of the
University; to encourage intellectual enrichment and
professional growth through forums and presentations; and
to elevate the stature of the University in (INSERT CITY OR
REGION NAME) through club programming.
ARTICLE III: GEOGRAPHIC AREA
The proposed geographic area of the club shall be filed with
the Alumni Association. The geographic area of the club is
subject to approval.
ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
Alumni, parents, and friends of the University of Chicago
shall be eligible for membership.
ARTICLE V: OFFICERS OF THE CLUB
Section 1 - Officers
The officers of the club shall include but not be limited to:
President, Vice President, Secretary, and Program Chair. This
“board of directors” may elect other officers from time to
time.
Section 2 – Duties
The duties of the officers shall be those duties and powers
usually incident to their respective offices and as detailed in
the University of Chicago Alumni Volunteer Handbook.
Regional Alumni Club
Sample By-Laws cont’d
Section 3 – Qualifications
a) All officers must be in good standing at the time of their
election and at all times during their tenure.
b) The members nominated to serve as president of the club
shall be limited to those members who have already
served at least one term as an officer.
Section 4 – Term of Office
The term shall be two years. Officers shall not serve more
than two consecutive terms in any office. Each officer shall
help identify his/her successor during the second year of
his/her term.
Section 5 – Election of Officers
The officers shall be elected at the Annual Meeting by a
majority vote of the members present and voting.
ARTICLE VI: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1 – Members and Qualifications
The board shall consist of the officers of the club, the
immediate past president, members-at-large (number to be
determined by club), and contacts from various University
programs and initiatives.
Section 2 – Duties
The duties of the board shall be to manage the operation and
activities of the club in accordance with the Mission
Statement, the University of Chicago Alumni Volunteer
Handbook, and the University of Chicago Alumni
Association’s bylaws, including but not limited to:
a) Holding a minimum of four meetings per year.
b) Coordinating a minimum of six events per year.
c) Electing officers and directors to fill vacancies during the
club year.
d) Electing additional directors during the year as may be
deemed appropriate.
Regional Alumni Club
Sample By-Laws cont’d
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES
The board of directors may appoint committees that include
members in good standing who are neither directors nor
officers. Such committees have authority to work on behalf
of the club for those activities that have been specifically
delegated to the committee by the board of directors and
approved by the Alumni Association.
ARTICLE VIII: DISTRIBUTION OF ASSETS
In the event that the club shall cease active operation, all
assets of the club shall be given to the Alumni Association.
ARTICLE IX: FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of the club shall begin on July 1 of each year.
ARTICLE X: AMENDMENTS
The bylaws may be adopted, repealed, or amended, in whole
or in part, at any time, by the affirmative vote of two-thirds
(66.7 percent) of the board of directors.
ARTICLE XI: ADHERENCE TO ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION GUIDLINES
These bylaws shall adhere to all existing Alumni Association
guidelines. In the event that Alumni Association guidelines
are amended or revised, these bylaws shall be reviewed for
compliance and amended accordingly.
Adopted this _________ day of ______________,
___________.
University of Chicago Alumni Club of
_____________________.
By:
President
____________________________________________
Secretary
____________________________________________
Regional Alumni Club
Sample Annual Report
Name of organization:
Date:
Organization mission statement:
CURRENT LEADERSHIP
List names, degrees, preferred e-mail address for the leader(s)
(please note n/a if appropriate)
President/Regional Contact
Vice-President
Secretary
Program Chair
LEADERSHIP SUCCESSION PLAN
List names, degrees, preferred e-mail address for future
leader(s)
(please note n/a if appropriate)
Future President
Future Vice-President
Future Officer(s)
Future Secretary
Future Program Chair
OFFICER(S)
List names, degrees, preferred e-mail address for the leader(s)
(please note n/a if appropriate)
Volunteer Chair
Careers & Networking Chair
Other (include title)
EVENTS
List the total number of events organized by your group in
the past 12 months, making sure to define the event’s
purpose (social, networking, intellectual). Attach attendance
lists.
AUDIENCE
Have you seen a change in your events’ audience in the last
12 months? If yes, please define:
Do you anticipate organizing events with other University
alumni volunteer organizations? If yes, which one(s)?:
Describe how your volunteer organization targets different
audiences, i.e., young alumni, alumni emeritus, alumni in
different geographical areas, etc..
Regional Alumni Club
Sample Annual Report cont’d
PROMOTION
How does your group promote other University of Chicago
sponsored initiatives (e.g., welcoming interns and new
graduates, volunteering for admission receptions, assisting
with recruiting efforts, Summer Sendoffs, participating in
annual fund, etc.)?
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Please make sure to attach the following documentation to
your report. Each regional alumni club will be asked to turn
in an annual report by July 1 in order to assess progress. Send
completed form and attendance lists to
alumniclubs@ uchicago.edu or fax to 773.702.2166.
•
•
•
All meeting minutes
Yearly plan/calendar of your organization’s events
Goals of your volunteer group
Regional Alumni Club
Event Evaluation
Name of organization:
Date of program:
Program Title:
Speaker(s):
Your Name:
Your Role(s) in E vent:
___ Organized Event Alone ___ With Others
___ Attended Event
___ Club Programming Chair ___ E vent Contact
Record the following information:
$ ________ Event Expenses $ _________ Event Income ________ Number in attendance
(attach list)
For events featuring faculty or administrators from the University, please answer the following:
•
The length of the presentation was: ____ Too Long
•
Was there enough time to socialize before/after the presentation?
•
How effective was the presenter?
•
Please add any other comments you would like to make regarding this event or other club
programming.
_____ Too Short
_____ Just Right
Please send completed form and attendance list to [email protected]