ESF Alumni Association
Strategic Plan
2016-2021
MISSION STATEMENT
• The College of Environmental Science and Forestry Alumni Association is a group of individuals concerned with the promotion, achievements and heritage of the College.
• The Association, working as a partner with the College, assists and promotes the College in the attainment of its objectives.
• The Association serves to cultivate friendship and cooperation among the alumni and to assist them however appropriate within the capabilities of the Association.
• The Association represents the alumni in the affairs of the College by acting as a facilitator between and among alumni, students, faculty, staff and administration.
• The Association provides programs and services to benefit alumni, ESF students and the College.
Adopted by the ESF Alumni Association Board of Directors
date: December 22, 1995 (Amended June 10, 2014)
VISION STATEMENT
The twenty-first century is here and the College is in its second century. The demands placed on the College of Environmental Science and Forestry Alumni Association continue to increase. This increased responsibility results from changes in New York State support for education, and from the realignment of the College as it responds to the ever increasing global demands for renewable resources.
We, as an organization, must be postured to evolve with the College and our expanding worldwide alumni base. We have to anticipate that change is inevitable, embrace it, and provide prudent direction for our Association.
In order to assist the College in fulfilling its mission, we will be called upon to serve as volunteer leaders, fund-raisers, donors, career consultants, student recruiters and role models. Our concerted effort will help to sustain the tradition of excellence associated with the College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
We shall strive to enhance the lives of our members. We shall seek greater interaction between alumni within the organization, and between alumni, faculty, staff, administration, students, and the College. By facilitating such interactions, we can all prosper.
BASE PLANNING ASSUMPTIONS
1. The Association will coordinate its goals and strategies with the College’s strategic plan.
2. The Association's strategic plan must be approved by the Alumni Board.
3. The Strategic Planning Committee will create a yearly action plan (Appendix 1) based on the five-year strategic plan and the Institutional Goals established by the SUNY-ESF Cabinet. The annual action plan will be presented to the Executive Committee for review and amendment and then submitted to the Board for approval at the June Board Meeting.
4. The planning process will involve the alumni and college community (faculty, professional staff, administrative staff, students and operations staff) for their review and input.
5. Up-to-date demographic data on alumni will provide base support for planning activities.
6. The Alumni Association administrative staffing will reflect the needs of the Alumni Office and the financial capabilities of the Association.
7. The Alumni Association represents all academic majors.
8. The Alumni Association will be fiscally responsible when setting goals within the
Strategic Plan.
9. The Association will raise operating funds via dues and/or other means. It will also continue to encourage charitable contributions from the alumni population for the College. All of this will be done in cooperation and coordination with the College Foundation.
10. As challenges or opportunities arise, this plan may be revised with approval of the Alumni Board.
GOALS
1. Remain financially sound.
2. Promote the advancement of the College.
3. Increase the visibility of the Alumni Association.
4. Engage and recognize alumni.
5. Maintain an up-to-date alumni database.
6. Strengthen Alumni Association relations with students.
7. Sustain an actively involved Alumni Board.
GOAL 1 - REMAIN FINANCIALLY SOUND.
In order to function independently, the Association must be conservative in its spending plan and innovative in its income generation.
1. Dues are critical to remaining financially sound and must reflect the cost of doing business. However, if dues are insufficient, the Association should continue to investigate a Student Fee.
2. The Board will have a target of 2% annual increase in the number of dues paying members, until it is deemed that target be more or less, or, the target eliminated if dues payment ceases to exist, and/or is replaced by a Student Fee.
3. In order to monitor the Association's Reserve Account, the investment results of the College Foundation will be reviewed semiannually at Board Meetings.
4. The Association will review and investigate other revenue sources such as Bookstore and related revenue and the Liberty Mutual Affinity Program among others.
5. The operation of the physical Bookstore and Virtual Bookstore shall be reviewed annually including a review of income, expenses and inventory.
6. The Association shall review and make recommendations for use of the funds in the
Association's Reserve Account.
GOAL 2 – PROMOTE THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE COLLEGE
The Alumni Association's primary responsibility is the development of alumni relations as a means of keeping alumni connected to the College.
STRATEGIES
1. Ensure communication between members of the Foundation and the Alumni Association, through participation in monthly meetings and joint participation in their respective functions and other activities.
2. Support special fundraising efforts of the College and encourage alumni participation of such efforts.
3. Increase the awareness of the alumni about the purpose of the College Foundation and its activities through active promotion of the goals and strategies of the Foundation and of the College.
4. The Association will, in cooperation with the Foundation, seek and share in gifts and bequests from alumni who feel a great affection for the Alumni Association and/or the College.
5. The Association will develop more events that can be co-sponsored with the College and the College Foundation.
6. Ensure communication between the College Executive Cabinet and the Alumni Association Executive Committee and Alumni Board through the participation of a chosen representative from the College President in monthly Alumni Association Meetings. The Alumni Association Executive Committee will meet once annually with the College Executive Cabinet.
GOAL 3 - Increase the visibility of the Alumni Association.
The Association must continue to make its existence known to students, faculty, the College community, the local community and to alumni worldwide
STRATEGIES
1. Periodically survey the alumni regarding the visibility and value of the Alumni Association.
2. Communicate with students about the Alumni Association during their college career and expand upon what is available to alumni through the Association.
3. Continue to expand the use of the Association website, e-mail and social media to provide information to alumni about the College and Association activities.
4. Evaluate the newsletter and E-News annually for improvements and changes.
5. Engage in on-campus and off-campus activities to continue to increase the visibility of the Alumni Association.
GOAL 4 – Engage and recognize alumni.
An active and engaged alumni population is essential to the continued success of the Association and, in turn, the College. Recognition of these alumni will serve to enhance their connection to the College as well as spread a positive message about the institution and our alumni.
STRATEGIES
1. Increase alumni recognition in electronic and print media.
2. Continue the existing Alumni Awards Programs: the Graduates of Distinction and the Alumni Association Outstanding Service Award.
3. Encourage alumni to participate in College and Alumni Association events.
4. Engage alumni through social media.
5. Continue to have alumni assist in student recruitment as guest speakers at College recruitment receptions, and as active recruiters in their own localities.
GOAL 5 - Maintain an up-to-date alumni database.
It is critical to have an up-to-date database to ensure accurate communication with our alumni.
STRATEGIES
1. Explore various options regarding the optimal method of maintaining an alumni database.
2. Work with the Foundation and other campus entities to gather data on alumni.
3. Continually update fields of information as more users of the database realize the potential that alumni bring to their particular functions.
GOAL 6 - Strengthen Alumni Association relations with students.
Building alumni relations should begin with our current students; by fostering these relationships we ensure active participation in future years.
STRATEGIES
1. Continue to award alumni scholarships.
2. Investigate student-run programs and events that the Alumni Association could sponsor or co-sponsor.
3. Collaborate with the Office of Student Affairs, Career Services and student organizations to determine if events, or other opportunities, could be co-sponsored or
otherwise involve the Alumni Association and our alumni.
4. Continue to sponsor events to engage the students.
5. Provide current students the opportunity to interact with the alumni and the Association.
6. Work with faculty and others to use alumni as educators and mentors.
7. Explore and implement means of highlighting student achievements to alumni.
GOAL 7 – Sustain an actively involved Alumni Board.
In order for the Alumni Association to remain strong and viable, we must rely on the assistance of active alumni volunteers.
STRATEGIES
1. Increase the interactions of the full Board to ensure active participation by all members.
2. Prepare a means of educating new Board Members of the workings of the Alumni Association.
3. Challenge Board Members and other College officials to encourage alumni involvement in the Association activities and to identify potential leaders.
4. Review the form and format of the current Alumni Association Board meetings.
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