Reforming the UCONN Alumni Association

[UConnNick]

Ms.Bub's AA handles all bowl travel for alumni, they get their tickets from the AD. They also do educational trips in addition to other events. I do believe WT, is the University's travel agent not just for the AD. I railed about it at the time that the package was terrible.

The alumni have a different agenda that the school when it comes to sports travel. To me it's an example of your AA not providing full service, not to mention blowing a huge fundraising and engagement opportunity. All I saw was the tent in Tempe with the make your own UCONN license plate.

Here's what the mrs AA offered for their last trip to the rose bowl (did I just give something away).

Multiple air/land, land only, and gameday only packages at the 3 star and 4 star hotel level. If I recall their were 2 night and 4 night packages. The air package was full round trip service. Land was the same you just provide your own connection. Game day was just the ticket and pregame.

All the air/land tours included hotel, welcome gifts, some bowl swag, a credential ID'ing you as part of the official tour. A welcome event (just a drink reception), a package from the host committee with a bunch of local goings on and some optional tours. Breakfast every day, a pep rally the day before with the band, cheerleaders, mascot, coach and some of the players, game day transfers, bleacher seating at the starting line for the rose parade, game ticket, pregame tailgate with free beer, wine, soda, water, police escort to the game (maximizing said tail gate), dedicated tour staff, and post game snacks. The seats were pretty good too, halfway up at about the 35.

All this was less than what Uconn was asking for the Fiesta. All through their Alumni Association. The bonus was during the Fiesta bowl trip, her school was playing in a lesser bowl that day. So we found the local AAs game watch at a bar and they welcomed us with open arms. I think we kicked in $20 each for the lunch.

Something to strive for.

The UCONN Alumni Association has absolutely nothing to do with the ticket packaging and travel arrangements for major athletic events, or ANY athletic events UCONN is involved in. That's all done by the Athletic Dept.

Unfortunately, many big time athletic schools use Final Fours and other big athletic events as a giant money grab. They kite the cost of these packages and force you to buy the whole package, which is ridiculously overpriced, for the stature of being able to stay at the team hotel, or at least team fan hotel, or a few hotels that are included in the package.

You can thank former AD Jeff Hathaway for the Fiesta Bowl fiasco. They held onto the concept of selling the packages through World Travel in New Haven and some think it was deliberate on his part because he already knew he was on his way out the door. UCONN fans who couldn't afford to buy the package deals ended up making their own travel and hotel arrangements, and buying game tickets on the open market. We therefore got absolutely no credit for having maybe 12,000 to 15,000 fans at the game because the university reportedly returned a bunch of unsold tickets, which UCONN had to pay for anyway.

BTW, they are allowed under whatever contract they have with World Travel to de-bundle those ridiculous packages, all the way down to selling the tickets only. They did that for the men's FF in Dallas last year and offered tickets to members of the UCAA, but not until they'd sold all the packages they could. I once had to negotiate with them for 20 min. on the phone for the FF in St. Pete because I didn't need round-trip airfare from BDL to Tampa, nor ground transportation there. It was like pulling teeth to get them to de-bundle the bundle. They want you paying top dollar for the whole mess. It's a lousy system, no question, but a lot of schools do it the exact same way.

 

[UConnNick]

I got an email from KU Alumni Association today, for "Flying Jayhawks". It was promoting trips with alumni and discounts to Costa Rica, Tanzania and showed pictures from a prior trip to the Swiss Alps and Italian Lakes.

Just an indication of how far UConn needs to come.

The UCAA sponsors many alumni trips. They send out brochures which look very similar to the one you posted the photo of. I don't see any difference here between the two schools.

In the future, I will be interested to see if they actually mail these glossy, full-color brochures to all 230,000 alumni in the world.

 

[husky8273]

I am not a board member. I just recently learned of this vote and I am trying to learn a little about it. It says "recommend candidates for nomination for election..." I know wording can be deceiving but I have to interpret it as it reads.

The cited language only refers to the candidates that are presented for the 2 alumni trustees which by state statute has been done by the Alumni Association. As an example of the the Administration's dictatorial methods, it "deemed" this role was transferred to the Foundation a few months ago; quite a self serving and questionable interpretation of the statute.

The members of the Alumni Committee which is separate and distinct from the Alumni trustees will be appointed by the Foundation, no longer elected by the Alumni. The majority of the Alumni Committee must be Foundation board members who are also appointed, not elected. This appointed Committee will control all future Alumni trustee nominees.

So just as you open up the Alumni Association to all alumni without the need for dues, you remove the ability of the Alumni to have a say its leadership and reserve it to a few appointed by the Administration. How is this inclusive?

 

[husky8273]

Also very well written.

likely written by the same authors as Donny's

 

[J187Money]

likely written by the same authors as Donny's

Nothing is how it seems.

 

[SAMCRO]

Every new post I read from the Vote No crowd reinforces my decision to vote to dissolve the Alumni Assoc.

 

[CL82]

likely written by the same authors as Donny's

Wait did you just "open" the Donny case again. Seriously make up your mind.

 

[SubbaBub]

The UCONN Alumni Association has absolutely nothing to do with the ticket packaging and travel arrangements for major athletic events, or ANY athletic events UCONN is involved in. That's all done by the Athletic Dept.

Unfortunately, many big time athletic schools use Final Fours and other big athletic events as a giant money grab. They kite the cost of these packages and force you to buy the whole package, which is ridiculously overpriced, for the stature of being able to stay at the team hotel, or at least team fan hotel, or a few hotels that are included in the package.

You can thank former AD Jeff Hathaway for the Fiesta Bowl fiasco. They held onto the concept of selling the packages through World Travel in New Haven and some think it was deliberate on his part because he already knew he was on his way out the door. UCONN fans who couldn't afford to buy the package deals ended up making their own travel and hotel arrangements, and buying game tickets on the open market. We therefore got absolutely no credit for having maybe 12,000 to 15,000 fans at the game because the university reportedly returned a bunch of unsold tickets, which UCONN had to pay for anyway.

BTW, they are allowed under whatever contract they have with World Travel to de-bundle those ridiculous packages, all the way down to selling the tickets only. They did that for the men's FF in Dallas last year and offered tickets to members of the UCAA, but not until they'd sold all the packages they could. I once had to negotiate with them for 20 min. on the phone for the FF in St. Pete because I didn't need round-trip airfare from BDL to Tampa, nor ground transportation there. It was like pulling teeth to get them to de-bundle the bundle. They want you paying top dollar for the whole mess. It's a lousy system, no question, but a lot of schools do it the exact same way.

My point was big schools don't let the AD handle alumni relations and athletic travel is one of the biggest alumni events there is. They buy the tickets from the AD allotment but package their own tours for alumni because the AA would have a better handle on what make alumni happy and donate more than the AD would. An no, most schools don't do it that way. The tour operator used by the Mrs's AA is used by most other big schools.

 

[UConn9604]

My point was big schools don't let the AD handle alumni relations and athletic travel is one of the biggest alumni events there is. They buy the tickets from the AD allotment but package their own tours for alumni because the AA would have a better handle on what make alumni happy and donate more than the AD would. An no, most schools don't do it that way. The tour operator used by the Mrs's AA is used by most other big schools.

I'm not sure it matters whether those tours are run by Athletics, the Foundation or an alumni association. There will be alumni and non-alumni, donors and non-donors, season ticket holders and non-season ticket holders, etc.

I am sure, however, that this current combination of leadership (Herbst, Manuel, Newton, etc.) would have managed the Fiesta Bowl (and the 2011 Final Four) far better than we handled it then.

 

[Carl S. Ey]

Article posted in the Journal Inquirer today, below my signature. It sums up the concerns that many have in regard to dissolution. BTW, dissolution isn't inevitable pending your vote. Vote NO to dissolution.

Carl S. Ey
UCONN 1988

By Mike Savino Journal Inquirer | 0 comments

The University of Connecticut is putting on the full-court press in urging Alumni Association members to approve a dissolution plan.

Basketball player Donny Marshall and former television anchor Pat Sheehan, both alumni, circulated letters last week in support of the plan to dissolve the association and have the UConn Foundation assume its responsibilities and manage its assets.

Dissolution ballots went out to Alumni Association members June 15 and the last day to vote is June 29.

But members continue to raise concerns that the formal plan doesn’t provide enough protection for the association or its assets, in particular the Alumni Center, which is valued at roughly $3 million and is on UConn’s main campus in Storrs.

“That’s the thing about this vote, there’s so many open questions,” said Daniel Blume, who served as Alumni Association president from 1972 to 1974.

Under the dissolution agreement, UConn would acknowledge the importance of a facility for alumni programs and make “good faith assurances” to maintain the Alumni Center for that purpose.

But UConn also would be able to determine when “it is no longer in the best interest of the university and its alumni to continue to use the Alumni Center for such purposes.”

A UConn spokesman Friday deferred comment to the UConn Foundation.

Foundation Media Director Jack Kramer said the foundation and the school plan to use the center for its current purpose, and the Alumni Association’s board is creating a fund to ensure maintenance continues.

“There are no plans to change the operation or use of the alumni house,” Kramer said. “The Husky Heritage Museum will stay in the alumni house as well.”

Efforts to contact Alumni Association President Lori Riiska were unsuccessful Friday, but she circulated a letter urging support for the dissolution.

She said in the letter that the UConn Foundation already has assumed some of the association’s core functions, and expressed confidence that alumni will be served well under the new arrangement.

“In spirit of one Husky nation, your Board of Directors urges you to vote ‘yes,’” she wrote. “Together we can all continue to strengthen the bonds between our alumni, our great university, and its students, as we are all Huskies forever,” she wrote.

Marshall and Sheehan both also wrote letters that were circulated and posted on the Internet last week.

Marshall played for the men’s basketball team before joining the National Basketball Association in 1995, and played for eight years in the NBA and other professional leagues, including one season in Greece.

Sheehan spent nearly 20 years as a television news anchor, working for WFSB-TV3, WTNH-TV8, and WTIC-TV61, before becoming a financial adviser. He also founded and remains chairman of the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, which manages the CT-N network.

For some alumni, though, the support is just another sign of the university’s desire to push out the Alumni Association.

“It really does resemble a knock-down political campaign,” said Blume, who was one of 14 past presidents to sign a letter this month urging UConn to wait on the vote.

The presidents and some alumni said they want a dissolution plan to provide more protection for the Alumni Association’s center and its investment fund of slightly more than $6 million, and a stronger assurance that the association will continue to have some level of independence under the UConn Foundation.

Blume said the pushback from alumni is “no turf war,” and many are trying to make sure their concerns are addressed before a vote.

Even many of the alumni urging a “no” vote acknowledge a dissolution is inevitable after the university took away the association’s funding and its ability to use UConn’s logo.

UConn’s Board of Trustees in March approved to eliminate the funding, and the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors subsequently voted 6-3 to move forward with dissolution.

The directors had previously been moving toward a membership model as a way to better reach the university’s alumni.

 

[Carl S. Ey]

Agree to disagree Carl. Go UConn.

Article posted in the Journal Inquirer today, below my signature. It sums up the concerns that many have in regard to dissolution. BTW, dissolution isn't inevitable pending your vote. Vote NO to dissolution.

Carl S. Ey
UCONN 1988

By Mike Savino Journal Inquirer | 0 comments

The University of Connecticut is putting on the full-court press in urging Alumni Association members to approve a dissolution plan.

Basketball player Donny Marshall and former television anchor Pat Sheehan, both alumni, circulated letters last week in support of the plan to dissolve the association and have the UConn Foundation assume its responsibilities and manage its assets.

Dissolution ballots went out to Alumni Association members June 15 and the last day to vote is June 29.

But members continue to raise concerns that the formal plan doesn’t provide enough protection for the association or its assets, in particular the Alumni Center, which is valued at roughly $3 million and is on UConn’s main campus in Storrs.

“That’s the thing about this vote, there’s so many open questions,” said Daniel Blume, who served as Alumni Association president from 1972 to 1974.

Under the dissolution agreement, UConn would acknowledge the importance of a facility for alumni programs and make “good faith assurances” to maintain the Alumni Center for that purpose.

But UConn also would be able to determine when “it is no longer in the best interest of the university and its alumni to continue to use the Alumni Center for such purposes.”

A UConn spokesman Friday deferred comment to the UConn Foundation.

Foundation Media Director Jack Kramer said the foundation and the school plan to use the center for its current purpose, and the Alumni Association’s board is creating a fund to ensure maintenance continues.

“There are no plans to change the operation or use of the alumni house,” Kramer said. “The Husky Heritage Museum will stay in the alumni house as well.”

Efforts to contact Alumni Association President Lori Riiska were unsuccessful Friday, but she circulated a letter urging support for the dissolution.

She said in the letter that the UConn Foundation already has assumed some of the association’s core functions, and expressed confidence that alumni will be served well under the new arrangement.

“In spirit of one Husky nation, your Board of Directors urges you to vote ‘yes,’” she wrote. “Together we can all continue to strengthen the bonds between our alumni, our great university, and its students, as we are all Huskies forever,” she wrote.

Marshall and Sheehan both also wrote letters that were circulated and posted on the Internet last week.

Marshall played for the men’s basketball team before joining the National Basketball Association in 1995, and played for eight years in the NBA and other professional leagues, including one season in Greece.

Sheehan spent nearly 20 years as a television news anchor, working for WFSB-TV3, WTNH-TV8, and WTIC-TV61, before becoming a financial adviser. He also founded and remains chairman of the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, which manages the CT-N network.

For some alumni, though, the support is just another sign of the university’s desire to push out the Alumni Association.

“It really does resemble a knock-down political campaign,” said Blume, who was one of 14 past presidents to sign a letter this month urging UConn to wait on the vote.

The presidents and some alumni said they want a dissolution plan to provide more protection for the Alumni Association’s center and its investment fund of slightly more than $6 million, and a stronger assurance that the association will continue to have some level of independence under the UConn Foundation.

Blume said the pushback from alumni is “no turf war,” and many are trying to make sure their concerns are addressed before a vote.

Even many of the alumni urging a “no” vote acknowledge a dissolution is inevitable after the university took away the association’s funding and its ability to use UConn’s logo.

UConn’s Board of Trustees in March approved to eliminate the funding, and the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors subsequently voted 6-3 to move forward with dissolution.

The directors had previously been moving toward a membership model as a way to better reach the university’s alumni.

 

[Carl S. Ey]

Also very well written.

Article posted in the Journal Inquirer today, below my signature. It sums up the concerns that many have in regard to dissolution. BTW, dissolution isn't inevitable pending your vote. Vote NO to dissolution.

Carl S. Ey
UCONN 1988

By Mike Savino Journal Inquirer | 0 comments

The University of Connecticut is putting on the full-court press in urging Alumni Association members to approve a dissolution plan.

Basketball player Donny Marshall and former television anchor Pat Sheehan, both alumni, circulated letters last week in support of the plan to dissolve the association and have the UConn Foundation assume its responsibilities and manage its assets.

Dissolution ballots went out to Alumni Association members June 15 and the last day to vote is June 29.

But members continue to raise concerns that the formal plan doesn’t provide enough protection for the association or its assets, in particular the Alumni Center, which is valued at roughly $3 million and is on UConn’s main campus in Storrs.

“That’s the thing about this vote, there’s so many open questions,” said Daniel Blume, who served as Alumni Association president from 1972 to 1974.

Under the dissolution agreement, UConn would acknowledge the importance of a facility for alumni programs and make “good faith assurances” to maintain the Alumni Center for that purpose.

But UConn also would be able to determine when “it is no longer in the best interest of the university and its alumni to continue to use the Alumni Center for such purposes.”

A UConn spokesman Friday deferred comment to the UConn Foundation.

Foundation Media Director Jack Kramer said the foundation and the school plan to use the center for its current purpose, and the Alumni Association’s board is creating a fund to ensure maintenance continues.

“There are no plans to change the operation or use of the alumni house,” Kramer said. “The Husky Heritage Museum will stay in the alumni house as well.”

Efforts to contact Alumni Association President Lori Riiska were unsuccessful Friday, but she circulated a letter urging support for the dissolution.

She said in the letter that the UConn Foundation already has assumed some of the association’s core functions, and expressed confidence that alumni will be served well under the new arrangement.

“In spirit of one Husky nation, your Board of Directors urges you to vote ‘yes,’” she wrote. “Together we can all continue to strengthen the bonds between our alumni, our great university, and its students, as we are all Huskies forever,” she wrote.

Marshall and Sheehan both also wrote letters that were circulated and posted on the Internet last week.

Marshall played for the men’s basketball team before joining the National Basketball Association in 1995, and played for eight years in the NBA and other professional leagues, including one season in Greece.

Sheehan spent nearly 20 years as a television news anchor, working for WFSB-TV3, WTNH-TV8, and WTIC-TV61, before becoming a financial adviser. He also founded and remains chairman of the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, which manages the CT-N network.

For some alumni, though, the support is just another sign of the university’s desire to push out the Alumni Association.

“It really does resemble a knock-down political campaign,” said Blume, who was one of 14 past presidents to sign a letter this month urging UConn to wait on the vote.

The presidents and some alumni said they want a dissolution plan to provide more protection for the Alumni Association’s center and its investment fund of slightly more than $6 million, and a stronger assurance that the association will continue to have some level of independence under the UConn Foundation.

Blume said the pushback from alumni is “no turf war,” and many are trying to make sure their concerns are addressed before a vote.

Even many of the alumni urging a “no” vote acknowledge a dissolution is inevitable after the university took away the association’s funding and its ability to use UConn’s logo.

UConn’s Board of Trustees in March approved to eliminate the funding, and the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors subsequently voted 6-3 to move forward with dissolution.

The directors had previously been moving toward a membership model as a way to better reach the university’s alumni.

 

[Carl S. Ey]

Also very well written.

Article posted in the Journal Inquirer today, below my signature. It sums up the concerns that many have in regard to dissolution. BTW, dissolution isn't inevitable pending your vote. Vote NO to dissolution.

Carl S. Ey
UCONN 1988

By Mike Savino Journal Inquirer | 0 comments

The University of Connecticut is putting on the full-court press in urging Alumni Association members to approve a dissolution plan.

Basketball player Donny Marshall and former television anchor Pat Sheehan, both alumni, circulated letters last week in support of the plan to dissolve the association and have the UConn Foundation assume its responsibilities and manage its assets.

Dissolution ballots went out to Alumni Association members June 15 and the last day to vote is June 29.

But members continue to raise concerns that the formal plan doesn’t provide enough protection for the association or its assets, in particular the Alumni Center, which is valued at roughly $3 million and is on UConn’s main campus in Storrs.

“That’s the thing about this vote, there’s so many open questions,” said Daniel Blume, who served as Alumni Association president from 1972 to 1974.

Under the dissolution agreement, UConn would acknowledge the importance of a facility for alumni programs and make “good faith assurances” to maintain the Alumni Center for that purpose.

But UConn also would be able to determine when “it is no longer in the best interest of the university and its alumni to continue to use the Alumni Center for such purposes.”

A UConn spokesman Friday deferred comment to the UConn Foundation.

Foundation Media Director Jack Kramer said the foundation and the school plan to use the center for its current purpose, and the Alumni Association’s board is creating a fund to ensure maintenance continues.

“There are no plans to change the operation or use of the alumni house,” Kramer said. “The Husky Heritage Museum will stay in the alumni house as well.”

Efforts to contact Alumni Association President Lori Riiska were unsuccessful Friday, but she circulated a letter urging support for the dissolution.

She said in the letter that the UConn Foundation already has assumed some of the association’s core functions, and expressed confidence that alumni will be served well under the new arrangement.

“In spirit of one Husky nation, your Board of Directors urges you to vote ‘yes,’” she wrote. “Together we can all continue to strengthen the bonds between our alumni, our great university, and its students, as we are all Huskies forever,” she wrote.

Marshall and Sheehan both also wrote letters that were circulated and posted on the Internet last week.

Marshall played for the men’s basketball team before joining the National Basketball Association in 1995, and played for eight years in the NBA and other professional leagues, including one season in Greece.

Sheehan spent nearly 20 years as a television news anchor, working for WFSB-TV3, WTNH-TV8, and WTIC-TV61, before becoming a financial adviser. He also founded and remains chairman of the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, which manages the CT-N network.

For some alumni, though, the support is just another sign of the university’s desire to push out the Alumni Association.

“It really does resemble a knock-down political campaign,” said Blume, who was one of 14 past presidents to sign a letter this month urging UConn to wait on the vote.

The presidents and some alumni said they want a dissolution plan to provide more protection for the Alumni Association’s center and its investment fund of slightly more than $6 million, and a stronger assurance that the association will continue to have some level of independence under the UConn Foundation.

Blume said the pushback from alumni is “no turf war,” and many are trying to make sure their concerns are addressed before a vote.

Even many of the alumni urging a “no” vote acknowledge a dissolution is inevitable after the university took away the association’s funding and its ability to use UConn’s logo.

UConn’s Board of Trustees in March approved to eliminate the funding, and the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors subsequently voted 6-3 to move forward with dissolution.

The directors had previously been moving toward a membership model as a way to better reach the university’s alumni.

 

[Carl S. Ey]

I am not a board member. I just recently learned of this vote and I am trying to learn a little about it. It says "recommend candidates for nomination for election..." I know wording can be deceiving but I have to interpret it as it reads.

Article posted in the Journal Inquirer today, below my signature. It sums up the concerns that many have in regard to dissolution. BTW, dissolution isn't inevitable pending your vote. Vote NO to dissolution.

Carl S. Ey
UCONN 1988

By Mike Savino Journal Inquirer | 0 comments

The University of Connecticut is putting on the full-court press in urging Alumni Association members to approve a dissolution plan.

Basketball player Donny Marshall and former television anchor Pat Sheehan, both alumni, circulated letters last week in support of the plan to dissolve the association and have the UConn Foundation assume its responsibilities and manage its assets.

Dissolution ballots went out to Alumni Association members June 15 and the last day to vote is June 29.

But members continue to raise concerns that the formal plan doesn’t provide enough protection for the association or its assets, in particular the Alumni Center, which is valued at roughly $3 million and is on UConn’s main campus in Storrs.

“That’s the thing about this vote, there’s so many open questions,” said Daniel Blume, who served as Alumni Association president from 1972 to 1974.

Under the dissolution agreement, UConn would acknowledge the importance of a facility for alumni programs and make “good faith assurances” to maintain the Alumni Center for that purpose.

But UConn also would be able to determine when “it is no longer in the best interest of the university and its alumni to continue to use the Alumni Center for such purposes.”

A UConn spokesman Friday deferred comment to the UConn Foundation.

Foundation Media Director Jack Kramer said the foundation and the school plan to use the center for its current purpose, and the Alumni Association’s board is creating a fund to ensure maintenance continues.

“There are no plans to change the operation or use of the alumni house,” Kramer said. “The Husky Heritage Museum will stay in the alumni house as well.”

Efforts to contact Alumni Association President Lori Riiska were unsuccessful Friday, but she circulated a letter urging support for the dissolution.

She said in the letter that the UConn Foundation already has assumed some of the association’s core functions, and expressed confidence that alumni will be served well under the new arrangement.

“In spirit of one Husky nation, your Board of Directors urges you to vote ‘yes,’” she wrote. “Together we can all continue to strengthen the bonds between our alumni, our great university, and its students, as we are all Huskies forever,” she wrote.

Marshall and Sheehan both also wrote letters that were circulated and posted on the Internet last week.

Marshall played for the men’s basketball team before joining the National Basketball Association in 1995, and played for eight years in the NBA and other professional leagues, including one season in Greece.

Sheehan spent nearly 20 years as a television news anchor, working for WFSB-TV3, WTNH-TV8, and WTIC-TV61, before becoming a financial adviser. He also founded and remains chairman of the Connecticut Public Affairs Network, which manages the CT-N network.

For some alumni, though, the support is just another sign of the university’s desire to push out the Alumni Association.

“It really does resemble a knock-down political campaign,” said Blume, who was one of 14 past presidents to sign a letter this month urging UConn to wait on the vote.

The presidents and some alumni said they want a dissolution plan to provide more protection for the Alumni Association’s center and its investment fund of slightly more than $6 million, and a stronger assurance that the association will continue to have some level of independence under the UConn Foundation.

Blume said the pushback from alumni is “no turf war,” and many are trying to make sure their concerns are addressed before a vote.

Even many of the alumni urging a “no” vote acknowledge a dissolution is inevitable after the university took away the association’s funding and its ability to use UConn’s logo.

UConn’s Board of Trustees in March approved to eliminate the funding, and the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors subsequently voted 6-3 to move forward with dissolution.

The directors had previously been moving toward a membership model as a way to better reach the university’s alumni.

 

[pepband99]

Again, more pushback from only those that are/were in a position to do better, and didn't. I'm really not interested in another quote from past AA prez-types as to why dissolving is bad. Show me someone without any skin in the game that's pro-NO, and it will hold much more water.

 

[CL82]

The "no" crowd does seem pretty limited.

 

[J187Money]

Again, more pushback from only those that are/were in a position to do better, and didn't. I'm really not interested in another quote from past AA prez-types as to why dissolving is bad. Show me someone without any skin in the game that's pro-NO, and it will hold much more water.

And half of the people that DO have skin in the game still want to vote to dissolve. So what does that say?

 

[J187Money]

Seriously Carl - does posting the same article 5 times really help the cause?

 

[Carl S. Ey]

Thanks for your wise counsel. I will keep it in mind.

 

[J187Money]

http://www.foundation.uconn.edu/2015/06/24/ucaa-members-why-a-yes-vote-will-strengthen-uconn-nation/

A letter on the vote from Joshua R. Newton, President & CEO of the UConn Foundation
This week is a pivotal time for UConn. Members of the UConn Alumni Association (UCAA) are voting by ballot on whether to approve the dissolution of the UCAA in order to help facilitate the transfer of alumni engagement efforts to the UConn Foundation. (The deadline the ballot to be received is Monday June 29th).

The University Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board of Directors and the UCAA Board of Directors have already endorsed this change. Each governing body, comprised of people who have spent decades supporting UConn, believes the new structure will result in a stronger UConn Nation, with better services for alumni and friends.

A vote of ‘yes’ will affirm this decision, help facilitate a smooth transition, and lead to many positive developments:

1. More coordinated points of service for all UConn alumni and friends. No truly great university can fully achieve its potential without a vast, supportive, and engaged alumni body. Our goal to dramatically increase the opportunities for you and others to stay close to UConn through expanded and improved services, such as career networking opportunities and admissions assistance. Of course, staff will still be designated specifically for alumni needs and the University intends for the Alumni Center to continue to serve as a home on the Storrs campus for all alumni.
2. A more inclusive approach. Currently there are 230,000 UConn alumni. Of that number, only 5 percent, or about 13,000, are members of the Alumni Association. Another way to look at it: That means 95 percent, or 220,000 alums, are currently not members of UConn’s primary alumni outreach organization. As Donny Marshall, former captain of the UConn men’s basketball team and supporter of the alumni transition, says: “That (lack of Alumni Association members) doesn’t meet the championship standards for which UConn is known.’’ Many of the nation’s top colleges and universities have already eliminated their membership model in favor of this inclusive and integrated approach.
3. More efficient use of resources. Bringing all institutional advancement activities under one umbrella—instead of having two separate organizations with overlapping goals—will increase the level of resources available to support alumni. Currently there are duplicated services, such as communications, event services, outside service contracts, and other administrative functions. Consolidating these areas strengthens our ability to invest in direct alumni engagement.

I understand that there may still be questions about this change, such as how will it affect chapters and other affiliate groups of the University.

Learn more on the UCAA’s voting information page.

Ultimately, UConn needs the loyal support of its alumni now more than ever. I encourage members to speak up with ONE strong voice and vote YES.



Joshua R. Newton
President & CEO
UConn Foundation, Inc.

 

[Dooley]

http://www.foundation.uconn.edu/2015/06/24/ucaa-members-why-a-yes-vote-will-strengthen-uconn-nation/

A letter on the vote from Joshua R. Newton, President & CEO of the UConn Foundation
This week is a pivotal time for UConn. Members of the UConn Alumni Association (UCAA) are voting by ballot on whether to approve the dissolution of the UCAA in order to help facilitate the transfer of alumni engagement efforts to the UConn Foundation. (The deadline the ballot to be received is Monday June 29th).

The University Board of Trustees, the Foundation Board of Directors and the UCAA Board of Directors have already endorsed this change. Each governing body, comprised of people who have spent decades supporting UConn, believes the new structure will result in a stronger UConn Nation, with better services for alumni and friends.

A vote of ‘yes’ will affirm this decision, help facilitate a smooth transition, and lead to many positive developments:

1. More coordinated points of service for all UConn alumni and friends. No truly great university can fully achieve its potential without a vast, supportive, and engaged alumni body. Our goal to dramatically increase the opportunities for you and others to stay close to UConn through expanded and improved services, such as career networking opportunities and admissions assistance. Of course, staff will still be designated specifically for alumni needs and the University intends for the Alumni Center to continue to serve as a home on the Storrs campus for all alumni.
2. A more inclusive approach. Currently there are 230,000 UConn alumni. Of that number, only 5 percent, or about 13,000, are members of the Alumni Association. Another way to look at it: That means 95 percent, or 220,000 alums, are currently not members of UConn’s primary alumni outreach organization. As Donny Marshall, former captain of the UConn men’s basketball team and supporter of the alumni transition, says: “That (lack of Alumni Association members) doesn’t meet the championship standards for which UConn is known.’’ Many of the nation’s top colleges and universities have already eliminated their membership model in favor of this inclusive and integrated approach.
3. More efficient use of resources. Bringing all institutional advancement activities under one umbrella—instead of having two separate organizations with overlapping goals—will increase the level of resources available to support alumni. Currently there are duplicated services, such as communications, event services, outside service contracts, and other administrative functions. Consolidating these areas strengthens our ability to invest in direct alumni engagement.

I understand that there may still be questions about this change, such as how will it affect chapters and other affiliate groups of the University.

Learn more on the UCAA’s voting information page.

Ultimately, UConn needs the loyal support of its alumni now more than ever. I encourage members to speak up with ONE strong voice and vote YES.



Joshua R. Newton
President & CEO
UConn Foundation, Inc.

Can you please post this 5 more times?

 

[Dooley]

1. A more inclusive approach. Currently there are 230,000 UConn alumni. Of that number, only 5 percent, or about 13,000, are members of the Alumni Association. Another way to look at it: That means 95 percent, or 220,000 alums, are currently not members of UConn’s primary alumni outreach organization. As Donny Marshall, former captain of the UConn men’s basketball team and supporter of the alumni transition, says: “That (lack of Alumni Association members) doesn’t meet the championship standards for which UConn is known.’’ Many of the nation’s top colleges and universities have already eliminated their membership model in favor of this inclusive and integrated approach

^ This is absolutely disgusting. No wonder Power conferences think UConn is small potatoes. If this data is true, and I have no reason to believe it isn't, we are leaving 220 friggin' thousand alums out in the cold (and off of our Power conference profile)?!?!?

We need to unite as one alumni base: 230,000 STRONG. This split alumni is small potatoes, shows disorganization, and is not attractive whatsoever in the eyes of "B1G" conferences.

 

[SubbaBub]

I'm not sure it matters whether those tours are run by Athletics, the Foundation or an alumni association. There will be alumni and non-alumni, donors and non-donors, season ticket holders and non-season ticket holders, etc.

I am sure, however, that this current combination of leadership (Herbst, Manuel, Newton, etc.) would have managed the Fiesta Bowl (and the 2011 Final Four) far better than we handled it then.

The primary function of the sponsoring organization is critical to the success of any endeavor. The AD's job is to win games and maybe sell tickets. The AA's job is to ensure a continuing positive relationship with people who will donate sums of money to the school.

Which one do you want as your tour guide/party planner? The Mrs and I have been on 6 major sports tours with her group in the past 15 years. We haven't seriously considered one for UCONN. Every time we look, it always a no go or a self planned trip. I don't think it's us that's causing that.

 

[UConn9604]

The primary function of the sponsoring organization is critical to the success of any endeavor. The AD's job is to win games and maybe sell tickets. The AA's job is to ensure a continuing positive relationship with people who will donate sums of money to the school.

Which one do you want as your tour guide/party planner? The Mrs and I have been on 6 major sports tours with her group in the past 15 years. We haven't seriously considered one for UCONN. Every time we look, it always a no go or a self planned trip. I don't think it's us that's causing that.

Me either - those trips are too expensive no matter who plans them. I'm confident that I can figure out Orbitz, Kayak, etc., and find bars where UConn fans will be, so I've always planned my own trip and ended up converting the mark-up into liquid form.

Of course, it feels like I haven't been to a road game or a (gasp!) bowl game in 100 years.

 

[hardcorehusky]

And half of the people that DO have skin in the game still want to vote to dissolve. So what does that say?

As the late great Gorilla Monsoon used to say: "I resemble that remark"!