Alumni Executive Council Virtual Meeting Minutes
March 24, 2018
Forbes started the call at 10 a.m.
Chatterjee called the roll:
Present: Catlin, Chatterjee, Chrzanowski-Sears, Cochran, Danielson, Faulkner, Forbes, Hallock, Lawler, Lee, Lloyd, McKee, McManus, Hansen, Ireland, Jenkins, Kadick, McSweeney, Murray, North, Patrick, Peterson, Rood, Russell, Dennis Ryan, Molly Ryan, Scuteri, Sullivan, Taylor, Terrillion, Thomson
Not present: Abernethy, Armstrong, Beyer, Colucci, Dana, Egbert, Kallet, MacBrayne, Hann, Hughes, Jennings, Price, Santini, Sethness, Twombly, Wheeler, Willis
There was a motion made to adopt the minutes. Hansen made an amendment and noted that the minutes from 12-2-2017, which she helped the Secretary produce, had still not been posted. Hansen also raised questions about the budget posted on the dashboard that was erroneously linked. The minutes were then adopted.
President’s Report
President Forbes congratulated the new slate of officers and mentioned that the transition was underway. He referenced the great work the busy committees were doing with a focus on admissions yield and the giving challenges. Discussed prep for the campaign launch and the landscape the next 10 years. He cited a great WSJ report on the differences in outlook - why are some schools prospering while others are closing. Ed stressed the importance of volunteerism at SLU and then shifted towards trends in enrollment. He pointed out that do to a drop in birthrate from 2008-2012 there could be long-term admissions implications.
Campus Report
Update on the Campaign
• As of 2/28/18, we stand at $115m in the Campaign. Advancement is working on the schedule for the Campaign launch weekend. The save the date should be in the mail next week. We’ll do an Outlook save the date as well. AEC’s block of rooms will be at the University Suites and you’ll hear details on how to reserve a room in the block very soon. Rooms are tight so we will be asking AEC members to consider rooming with another member, if possible. Brush Alumni House, local B&Bs etc… that are normally available to us, will not be. Advancement is working to finalize Campaign communications like the case statement and beginning work on the Campaign video and website. The Advancement team is focused on major and principal level gifts that can
move the needle forward between now and the launch. The team is also actively fundraising for the Center for Student Achievement in Madill Hall. This will be the focus of an Advancement newsletter coming out in the next couple of weeks.
Update on Staffing
• Our new Director of Donor Relations, Beth Colello ’95, will be starting on April 30. Beth has 22+ years of professional experience working in sales, marketing, non-profit management and higher education. She has most recently been working as the Director of C&F at Clarkson. She is replacing Valerie Ingram, who retired from the University in March.
• We’ve also had another internal shifts in staff. Beth Slater will now be spending ½ of her time working with the annual giving program helping to secure gifts from our NYC based alumni. This is in addition to her NYC Semester responsibilities.
Events
• Hissong encouraged us to take a look at the regular emails we are now sending out re: upcoming regional events. The hope is that with enough advance notice, you’ll be able to attend events happening in your area.
• We just had a very successful SLU Connect program in San Francisco. 30 alumni, parent and friend volunteers participated. 17 students participated. Programming included a Life in the City Breakfast, Business/Finance Roundtable, Technology Roundtable, Cross-Industry Roundtable, Networking reception, Connect tour (hosted by Carolyn Davidow Putney ’88 and Stewart Putney ’91 at their restaurant, Timber and Salt), eBay site visit/tour hosted by Andy Cring ’92, and an Alcatraz tour. Planning is coming along on Boston, which will happen the week of May 14th and while the schedule is being confirmed now, it’s looking like we will pause on Albany for a year and head to Burlington over spring break 2019.
Treasurer’s Report
Early in the year for expenses. Encouraged chairs to submit expenses. Reviewed the importance of young alumni Council members in Group V submitting their travel reimbursement requests right after meetings. Cited that we are under budget to date. Sue North pointed out that a year-to-year comparison could be a useful metric.
Committee Reports
A&E
• 1856 challenge – end of April 18.
• Give Campus – Webinar training for volunteers Tuesday 17th using FaceBook etc.
• 2019 Fall or Spring sponsored donor challenge – survey to come
• April – Class reporter – need notes for summer magazine
Admissions
• Council will be writing to 300 prospective students that Admissions has targeted for yield. You will be getting your assignments for note writing from Kim Hissong shortly. Expect approximately 10 notes each.
• Legacy Days – an on-campus program for rising high school seniors – good opportunity for prospective students. End of July.
M+H
Committee has been busy working on the 2nd year of the expansion. Went over the Alumni Citation and Brown award winner’s biographies.
Student Services
Networking 101 – positive feedback but also some grumbling about the students’ lack of preparedness. Career Services might remind alumni to check LinkedIn for follow-up with students.
SLU Connect – San Francisco had 16 students and numerous alums; Boston is coming up May 14-18; also looking at DC and Mountain States again next year. SLU Connect will go to Burlington, VT instead of Albany next year.
AEC Endowment update
SUCCESS. Now $320,000 in hand. This is a high profile legacy for AEC.
New Business
• Due to expansion and limited capacity will need to minimize family at Canaras. Canaras is June 7-10. October meeting is 25-28. Winter call on December 1. Winter meeting January 31-February 2nd.
• Shout out to the great student delegates.
• Ed and Charlie Sullivan agreed to clean up amendments that were never voted into the bylaws.
• Motion to adjourn by Rood, second by Terrillion.
Meeting adjourned at 10:48 a.m.
Submitted by Neil Chatterjee ’99, Secretary.