Reforming the UCONN Alumni Association

[husky8273]

What an ugly and stupid implication - you really should go elsewhere.

ugly? stupid? how enlightening

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

There is a small but ornery group that will fight this to the death.

Setting aside the alumni association has not appeared for at least a few decades to provide sufficient compelling reasons for too many alumni to join, why is this group of members so small? Young, not so young, somewhere in between? Professionally successful, or not overly successful? Significant donors, less than average? Are they typically past versus current elected representatives of the apparently dissolved alumni association? Whomever the small group may be, why are they so ornery?

I consider myself a highly enthusiastic Huskies' fanatic, a relatively supportive alumnus, and despite occasional spousal suggestions aside, generally have a life beyond UCONN. For example, I've attended many alumni events in multiple locations (CT and beyond); gone to home and away hoops, hockey, soccer, and gridiron games (regular season, tourney, and bowl games alike - hung on to season tickets despite football's current point in a desired, anticipated gradual upturn); donated some money (not excessive compared with some alumni yet also not the paltry little to absolute zip far too many alumni share); volunteered in the past to mentor new grads - didn't get much or any response from career center representatives nor alumni association professionals, etc.

Along with similarly enthusiastic, relatively non-failure alumni, some time back we exhurted significant effort and hours attempting to get a major city alumni chapter up and running. For whatever reasons in Storrs, we sadly found it challenging at best to get much of a pulse out of the alumni association - at least from the paid professionals.

Granted there are obvious motivating factors, but my interactions with Foundation representatives and recently from university leaders have generally been more favorable to quite positive. Perhaps some things were beginning to improve in very recent years with the alumni association, but it certainly was not and has not been apparent. Why I don't know, but perhaps whatever small, ornery group you refer to contributed to the alumni association's own internal challenges (???).

 

[Nostical]

This should be an easy decision for all of us. UConn needs to vote yes. Why? Because Susan Herbst asked us to.
It's all about furthering the trajectory of the school as it smartly follows her brilliant blueprint.
After UConn squandered years of opportunity with leaders of limited vision and provincial perspectives, it only took a few short months on the job before she understood the landscape and:
Fired the Provost.
Fired the AD.
Hired hundreds of professors (bucking the national trend).
Lobbied the state for STEM funding at unprecedented levels.
Moved the Hartford campus downtown.
Formalized UCONN as our new word mark and with a new logo brought uniformity to all disciplines and athletic teams.
Created a dynamic and expansive campus architecture plan.
Pushed harder for Downtown Storrs development.
Understood the imperative to push toward AAU and has kept a laser like focus in its pursuit.
Recognized and publicized the embarrassing level of our endowment and hired Josh Newton to revamp and revitalize fundraising, including this current proposal to wrap the Alumni Association into the UConn Foundation.
And the beat goes on.....
So, to paraphrase that old E F Hutton commercial, when SH speaks, we all should listen.
Not all leaders stand out. Not all UConn presidents deserved to be followed. But President Herbst does. In reply to comments about General Grant's drinking problems President Lincoln once said:"Find out what whiskey he drinks and send all of my generals a case" I propose a toast to whatever Susan Herbst is drinking. Fill your glasses and chug away.

 

[pepband99]

When the first line IN ALL CAPS in defense of a "no" vote involves the alumni house, it confirms all of my suspicions. "Yes," it is.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

the Foundation has been around for quite some time and has about $15 Billion - how does their ability to raise funds change if we combine all members - will members who did not pay to join the UCAA all-of-a-sudden decide to donate a ton of money now? ?

Are you sure about this? That appears to be a far larger number than I would have expected. Could you provide a link that would corroborate this claim?

 

[DarthGrumpy]

Got the ballot voted YES simply because the status quo is not working and that I have meta with both Herbst and Newton over the last year or so and I trust that they know what they are doing. I do regret the loss of direct alumni representation; but, that model have prove to be ineffective over a long period of time.

 

[husky8273]

Are you sure about this? That appears to be a far larger number than I would have expected. Could you provide a link that would corroborate this claim?

The Foundation's 2014 report, http://www.foundation.uconn.edu/wp-...014/05/UConnFoundation_2014EndowmentRepor.pdf, shows their investments at $413 million

 

[FfldCntyFan]

The Foundation's 2014 report, http://www.foundation.uconn.edu/wp-...014/05/UConnFoundation_2014EndowmentRepor.pdf, shows their investments at $413 million

Yes, and this is a far cry from $15 billion.

 

[husky8273]

Yes, and this is a far cry from $15 billion.

to err is human....................

 

[FfldCntyFan]

I do regret the loss of direct alumni representation; but, that model have prove to be ineffective over a long period of time.

It has been very ineffective.

I have been a member for quite some time and a life member since 2003. There have been more alumni events (at least events advertised to me) since Susan Herbst became the school's president than there were for at least the dozen years prior. I don't like the idea of my life membership no longer having much value (although I imagine the paving stone with my name engraved will remain on campus) but the school does need to move forward. I also voted yes.

 

[J187Money]

maybe but that doesn't make him the author

So he isn't the author. Why exactly does that matter? The letter that came from the 14 prior Board members wasn't written by all 14 of them. So I guess that letter is useless also. At least 13 of them signed their name to something they didn't write. So they aren't credible either?

 

[J187Money]

Huskies -

As an elected member of the UCAA Board of Directors, I have been paying close attention to our dissolution plan. First of all, let me say that the UCAA Board of Directors approved a NON-DUES paying model for alums prior to April of 2015. Secondly, if had Pres. Herbst had not removed UCAA funding and the use of the UCONN logos, we wouldn't be having this issue.

I encourage all to read Distribution Plan that comes along with dissolution at http://uconnalumni.com/ballot.

It says two things that should concern Huskies and compel alums to VOTE NO!

1. " the University's further acknowledgment of the importance of continuing to have and maintain a center for alumni on the University's Storrs campus in the event the University determines it is no longer in the best interest of the University and its alumni to continue to use the Alumni Center for such purposes."

-- WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? THE CENTER STAYS IN TACT UNTIL IT TURNS OVER TO THE FOUNDATION AND THEN THE UNIVERSITY GETS TO DECIDE HOW THE BUILDING IS USED AND WHERE THE ALUMNI CENTER WILL GO? Remember, if dissolution happens, there is no elected Alumni voice so when it says "best interest of the university and alumni," the term "alumni" means the alums who work for the university/the Foundation, not alumni at large. We had one post on this site where a member asked something about the President removing the building or taking it away in general? Yes, that is an option under the distribution plan as it reads today and that matters because alums are voting THIS WEEK so....


2. "that any donor imposed restrictions on the Funds be honored by the Foundation; (iii) that the Funds be used to support alumni relations activities generally and, moreover, that the Association's intention be for the Funds to be used for specific purposes including, but not limited to, providing financial support for University scholarships, alumni career services, veterans memorial assistance, Alumni Center maintenance and improvements, life member benefits, and chapters and affinity groups."


-- WHY ARE THE TERMS "GENERALLY" AND "BUT NOT LIMITED TO," USED? THE LOOP HOLE HERE IS LARGE ENOUGH TO DRIVE THE HUSKY TEAM BUSES THROUGH.....when that $6M moves to the university coiffures, the usage for those dollars will be up for debate based on this part of the "Distribution Plan," and will not necessariy be earmarked toward the same goals that the UCAA had for that money. Plus the Foundation can take a 1.5% management fee or $90K just for accepting the money.

Please pay close attention to this ballot you will receive and remember, if you vote in favor of the dissolution, we are closing the UConn Alumni Association for good after over 100 years of existence and 40+ years existing as an INC.

You are effectively turning over all alumni operations to the UCONN FOUNDATION so their mission/business model has to shift/change to not only raise money for UCONN but also take care of ALL ALUMNI (not just donors).

BTW, we are still waiting on the UCONN Foundation's plan to incorporate all alumni into the fold - has anyone seen it published anywhere? If so, please send along but to date, I have not seen it. Are you willing to give the Foundation control without a salient plan?

Finally, if you decide to email or call up to UCONN to investigate, don't ever forget that anyone you speak to about alumni activities NOWworks for the Foundation. All of the UCAA employees were moved already before this vote so although I trust them all to be honest, remember who they get paid by - it used to be the UCONN Alumni Association and now it is the university.

Hmmmmm....

Thanks for reading,

Carl S. Ey
UCONN 1988

Carl - I have tremendous respect for you and appreciate your passion. But here is the situation. Unless you are part of a small group of people that are in/around Hartford or Storrs that is "connected" to those around the folks that have run the UCAA for years, the UCAA doesn't care about you. I've been trying like hell to get involved for years from NYC (even though I live in CT) and other than the recent electees to the Board, nobody in the UCAA cares one iota about anyone outside of the power base. The absolute horse^$## that I went through after grudgingly accepting nominations to run the prior two years by folks that were desperately trying to change the culture - only to end up embroiled in a bunch of middle school drama just goes to prove my point.

If those interested in saving the UCAA in its current form were anywhere near as interested in eradicating the cancer from itself I might be convinced to stand with you. But I don't believe that for a second. This is what happens when people spend more time fighting amongst each other and pursuing hidden agendas than actually doing the job that they were supposed to do. The UCAA does not have the hearts and minds of the Alumni. 94% don't care enough to pay, nobody cares enough to vote, and most of the people that did pay are so fed up they wish they could get their money back.

Could there have been a different way? Maybe - but when you decide that Herbst is the enemy, what do you expect? She called everyone's bluff and pulled the rug out from under the UCAA. The UCAA went to a gunfight with a toothpick.

Then you get to the economics:

The way to a huge, engaged donor base and a larger endowment is through Alumni engagement. It is in the best interest of the Foundation to keep the Alumni happy. Their interests are aligned. (as an example, if the Foundation announces that they want to repurpose Alumni house, people will call and threaten to not donate any money, and they will have no choice but to back off). They will spend money to increase goodwill and in turn more people will give to the University. Win/win for everyone. The only thing you have to trust is that the Foundation is run by the right people. It wasn't, but now I believe it is.

The UCAA was woefully underfunded, couldn't support their chapters, didn't care about anyone outside of Hartford/Storrs, and did very little with the small amount of money it raised. If that's what we want to continue, I'm not sure who benefits. If the UCAA actually cared about all of its alumni, I might feel differently. But it doesn't care about me, and I've been trying like hell to make a difference. But since I work in NYC and I don't drive around Hartford/Storrs kissing rings, I'm useless.

Sorry Carl - but I think you have this one wrong.

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

to err is human.....

Sure, but even the modern math version of $15 B - $413 million is more than just a minor error. Inconveniently, such a dramatic discrepancy undermines the credibility of all other views the message expressed. "Whoa, Nellie", $14.587 B is one humdinger of an error.

 

[UConn9604]

Sure, but even the modern math version of $15 B - $413 million is more than just a minor error. Inconveniently, such a dramatic discrepancy undermines the credibility of all other views the message expressed. "Whoa, Nellie", $14.587 B is one humdinger of an error.

That would put ours at the largest public school endowment in the United States - leading the next-largest public university, Michigan, by a whopping $6 billion.

 

[J187Money]

Sure, but even the modern math version of $15 B - $413 million is more than just a minor error. Inconveniently, such a dramatic discrepancy undermines the credibility of all other views the message expressed. "Whoa, Nellie", $14.587 B is one humdinger of an error.

Yeah, but Donny didn't write his letter. So there!

 

[Da_Aisijimo_Gou]

That would put ours at the largest public school endowment in the United States - leading the next-largest public university, Michigan, by a whopping $6 billion.

No worries, proposed fracking in Storrs should hit oil a la UT's campus oil wells. Black gold, Huskies T!

 

[UConnTrumbull]

Recent graduate here ('14 bachelors - '15 masters). I want to join the Alumni Association soon but I'm still in the dark about what's going on with this Foundation/AA battle. Any advice? Should I wait till this is all resolved? Will it be resolved any time soon??

 

[J187Money]

Don't pay to join (I think it is supposed to be free now - if it is free you should join) - it will be resolved soon.

 

[Hoophound]

If you've ever spoken to Donny Marshall for more than 30 seconds, you'd know that he could easily have written that letter.

 

[jpdmath]

Recent graduate here ('14 bachelors - '15 masters). I want to join the Alumni Association soon but I'm still in the dark about what's going on with this Foundation/AA battle. Any advice? Should I wait till this is all resolved? Will it be resolved any time soon??

Hi--Full disclosure: I'm both an alumna and a Foundation employee. Also a Boneyard lurker for some time, but that's beside the point!

Under the new model, you don't have to "join" anything--you're automatically a "member" because you attended UConn. So you can already attend alumni events, volunteer, and get any other benefits we offer. Additionally, since our alumni relations staff no longer have to focus on driving membership, they are now better equipped to expand programming, event support, and communication with alumni groups (such as NYC). So not only is it a dues-free model, BUT alumni relations staff now have the full support and resources of the Foundation working alongside them.

All funds that are currently dedicated for alumni relations purposes will continue to be set aside ONLY for alumni relations, scholarships, or whatever the donor's intent is/was. This is consistent with how the Foundation works as a whole, and more or less how the funds were managed previously.

In other words: We're now all working together to strengthen UConn.

The vote is the last major piece of this transition. A "no" vote means the Association still exists as a corporate entity, but can't use the UConn wordmark, the logo, or the alumni database, nor can it work with any of the alumni relations staff. This is outlined in the MOU with the University that the board signed last year.

This is a model other institutions, including many big public universities, have found a lot of success with. If you talk with the alumni relations staff you'll find they're all really excited for the potential this brings.

Happy to answer any other questions as I can.

 

[J187Money]

Hi--Full disclosure: I'm both an alumna and a Foundation employee. Also a Boneyard lurker for some time, but that's beside the point! Under the new model, you don't have to "join" anything--you're automatically a "member" because you attended UConn. So you can already attend alumni events, volunteer, and get any other benefits we offer. Additionally, since our alumni relations staff no longer have to focus on driving membership, they are now better equipped to expand programming, event support, and communication with alumni groups (such as NYC). So not only is it a dues-free model, BUT alumni relations staff now have the full support and resources of the Foundation working alongside them. All funds that are currently dedicated for alumni relations purposes will continue to be set aside ONLY for alumni relations, scholarships, or whatever the donor's intent is/was. This is consistent with how the Foundation works as a whole, and more or less how the funds were managed previously. In other words: We're now all working together to strengthen UConn. The vote is the last major piece of this transition. A "no" vote means the Association still exists as a corporate entity, but can't use the UConn wordmark, the logo, or the alumni database, nor can it work with any of the alumni relations staff. This is outlined in the MOU with the University that the board signed last year. This is a model other institutions, including many big public universities, have found a lot of success with. If you talk with the alumni relations staff you'll find they're all really excited for the potential this brings. Happy to answer any other questions as I can.

Thanks. Welcome aboard.

 

[UConn Dan]

Hmmm... new poster with foundation connections... dropping some clues?

"many big public universities"

jpdmath = Jim "(B1G) Poppa" Delany manages adding the huskies

There's something here! What say you conspiracy kitty?

Vote YES!

 

[Nostical]

Hmmm... new poster with foundation connections... dropping some clues?

Probably looking for Boneyard donations!

 

[UConn98]

I worked at the UCAA for nine months. It was, by far and away, the worst job of my life. There were some good people there (all who left not long after me), peons like myself, but the managers/directors were some of the worst qualified people I have ever seen to run a company. The Peter Principle was alive and well here. Expectations were impossible to reach, people (like me) were given job duties for which we were not hired, and the ratio of male/female employees was so far out of whack (I was one of two males in a company of 19 total) that we felt like we were the minority and meant to be kept there.

My question is, are the employees who transitioned over to the Foundation now state employees with state benefits? That was one of the interesting points. The only state employee was the executive director at the time, Lisa Lewis (who I still wish was standing on deck of this Titanic, because she is to blame as much as anyone for this to be circling the drain). Prior to 2007, I had heard that the UCAA was pretty low key, but once Lisa came in it was whipped into a company of which Initech would be proud. Actually, yes: If you ever wondered what it was like to work there, think "Office Space." There was one day where seven of my nine hours was spent in meetings. How does this accomplish anything?

Sorry. I admit I am jaded because the nine months there nearly wiped out every good memory I had of that university as an undergrad, but I am all for change because the model they followed did not work. On top of this, the alumni to which they claim they served reached a small portion of the total number. I tried to find the article but a Courant columnist (Dan Haar? Colin McEnroe? I forget) once wrote a piece about an around-the-world trip for UConn alumni that cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $60K. How many alumni possibly can afford that? Take a look at the list of membership services: http://uconnalumni.com/membership/membership-benefits/member-benefits In my opinion, most of these items do not apply to anyone under the age of 30. And how many of these apply if you live out of state? Is someone from Oregon going to feel happy because they now get a discount to Willington Pizza? You can get discounts at three hotels ... all within 20 minutes of each other. Or five restaurants ... three in Storrs/Willington, two in Hartford. You can get discounts at five retail services ... Jos. A. Bank (but first you have to sign up for their corporate credit card), Brooks Brothers (but it doesn't work for online purchases ... and last I checked, Brooks Brothers is not as visible as, say, Dunkin' Donuts), 1-800-Flowers (but they give you the promo code in the description to use at checkout, so I guess that does not matter that you are a member), Kaplan testing (how many people would use that more than once?) and Midas (where not all services are available at all locations).

There is/was a big push to get young alumni (five years or less) involved, and I get that. But I wonder how many 20-somethings have the monies to spend it on a membership that does not give them anything of merit and does not "benefit" them.

As for the argument about the Alumni Center ... I find it hard to believe that we alumni would lose that home just because of a reorganization. What would Susan do, move the center for alumni gatherings to the top floor of MSB? Come on. I feel sorry for the people who ponied up $800 for a Life Membership, only to see that now everyone is a Life Member for $800 less than what they paid.

 

[hardcorehusky]

Carl - I have tremendous respect for you and appreciate your passion. But here is the situation. Unless you are part of a small group of people that are in/around Hartford or Storrs that is "connected" to those around the folks that have run the UCAA for years, the UCAA doesn't care about you. I've been trying like hell to get involved for years from NYC (even though I live in CT) and other than the recent electees to the Board, nobody in the UCAA cares one iota about anyone outside of the power base. The absolute horse^$## that I went through after grudgingly accepting nominations to run the prior two years by folks that were desperately trying to change the culture - only to end up embroiled in a bunch of middle school drama just goes to prove my point.

If those interested in saving the UCAA in its current form were anywhere near as interested in eradicating the cancer from itself I might be convinced to stand with you. But I don't believe that for a second. This is what happens when people spend more time fighting amongst each other and pursuing hidden agendas than actually doing the job that they were supposed to do. The UCAA does not have the hearts and minds of the Alumni. 94% don't care enough to pay, nobody cares enough to vote, and most of the people that did pay are so fed up they wish they could get their money back.

Could there have been a different way? Maybe - but when you decide that Herbst is the enemy, what do you expect? She called everyone's bluff and pulled the rug out from under the UCAA. The UCAA went to a gunfight with a toothpick.

Then you get to the economics:

The way to a huge, engaged donor base and a larger endowment is through Alumni engagement. It is in the best interest of the Foundation to keep the Alumni happy. Their interests are aligned. (as an example, if the Foundation announces that they want to repurpose Alumni house, people will call and threaten to not donate any money, and they will have no choice but to back off). They will spend money to increase goodwill and in turn more people will give to the University. Win/win for everyone. The only thing you have to trust is that the Foundation is run by the right people. It wasn't, but now I believe it is.

The UCAA was woefully underfunded, couldn't support their chapters, didn't care about anyone outside of Hartford/Storrs, and did very little with the small amount of money it raised. If that's what we want to continue, I'm not sure who benefits. If the UCAA actually cared about all of its alumni, I might feel differently. But it doesn't care about me, and I've been trying like hell to make a difference. But since I work in NYC and I don't drive around Hartford/Storrs kissing rings, I'm useless.

Sorry Carl - but I think you have this one wrong.

JMoney and I had the same experience - and he is dead on that there are a few people trying to hold up the train. Most of them are out of touch, some like Carl make good points to the language but in the end, it is a matter of trust of what is going to be best for the university. Personally, I could have fought to keep all the things we did for years, but that train has left and now we have a chance to improve UCONN through the combined foundation and Alumni Association. In the end, we want to be in a Big Conference, a great academic university that creates jobs for Connecticut and helps its graduates get into the job market. Oh yes, and beat Syralose and BCUs *** in everything.