Look here, alumni!
By Ralph Amos

If you’re taking the time to read this sentence, I’ve already scored a major victory. The fact is, you’re busy. And I know it.

Think for a moment about the things that compete for your time and attention. Your family, your job, your church or synagogue, your booster club, your civic group. All important. All needing your participation. All keeping you from staying more connected to Ohio University.

In recent years, alumni organizations have begun to look at themselves and their operations with an eye for quality management and strategic planning. While some fear that this almost corporate-like approach will damage the fabric of their organization’s traditions, others see the processes as timely and appropriate.

The leadership of the Ohio University Alumni Association always has valued the opportunity to keep step both with our alumni and society as a whole. On the surface, our mission may not seem that grand or imposing. But when you consider all of our competition for your time, the challenge becomes more  apparent.

The goals we have set for your Alumni Association are pretty simple: We want an increased number of you to attend university and chapter functions. We want you to become and stay involved in your college, school or special interest group. We want you to turn to us when you look for educational and travel opportunities.
 

We have several options as we seek to get alumni more involved, but there are a few important questions we must answer first:

• Are the association’s current programs and services valued by our more than 160,000 alumni worldwide?

• Do we market our offerings in effective and exciting ways — ways that gain your attention and support your interests?

• Are we willing to make changes in who we are and what we do to meet the demands of our diverse
constituencies?
 

Rick Fatica Rick Essex, BSED '74 and MSPE '84, pages through old yearbooks during the summer's Aspire Leaders Conference.

To better serve you, and to tap the many resources you can share with the university, we must learn more about your needs and desires. Then we must reinvent all that is good and valued about the Alumni Association while continuing to develop opportunities, programs and services that are innovative and timely.

Let me give you an example of what I mean by this. Many alumni have told us that they would love to be more involved with the university and the Alumni Association, but their busy schedules pose limitations. Yet when asked if they would take a moment to contact a student by phone or e-mail to congratulate them on being accepted to the university, they say they would do so immediately.

As this organization continues to look at what it is and where it is going, we need your help. We ask that you contact us with innovative ideas you have seen offered elsewhere in your world, approaches that you believe have value for Ohio University. You also can share information on your needs and desires so that we can tailor our offerings to better meet them. And let us know what you think about the programs sponsored by your local alumni chapter or society so we can help them to be more effective.

This isn’t an idle request. I want to hear from you. If you’ve gotten to this point of the column, won’t you take a few more minutes right now to pick up the phone or knock out an e-mail or letter?

 Ralph Amos is an assistant vice president and executive director of alumni relations for Ohio University.