Alumni Relations Research Articles

Higher Education Administration With Social Media: Including Applications in Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Alumni Relations, and Career Centers

Higher Education Administration With Social Media: Including Applications in Student Affairs, Enrollment Management, Alumni Relations, and Career Centers

The Library as Partner in University Data Curation: A Case Study in Collaboration

Data curation is a concept with many facets. Curation goes beyond research-generated data, and its principles can support the preservation of institutions’ historical data. Libraries are well-positioned to bring relevant expertise to such problems, especially those requiring collaboration, because of their experience as neutral caretakers and information professionals. This article details how one university library partnered with various campus entities, specifically the Office of Alumni Relations and the Photographic Services Department, as well as the Division of University Advancement, to further two data curation projects involving university yearbooks and a historical negative and photograph collection. Collaboration was necessary in order to achieve the desired result: the ongoing management and preservation of these resources for their promotional worth and as tools for scholarly research. These efforts allowed for the digitization, management, and preservation of the original resources as well as the creation and perpetuation of digital collections which are easily accessible to university stakeholders and the community at large. This cross-university effort illustrates how this type of data curation project can build both individual and departmental relationships, increase buy-in for all involved, and establish an infrastructure for the furtherance of future projects.

Hail to Thee, Our Alma Mater: Alumni Role Identity and the Relationship to Institutional Support Behaviors

With the decline in state and federal support for higher education continuing to plague colleges and universities across the U.S., many institutions are looking to increase the levels of support annually received from alumni and other constituencies. Research on alumni relations in American colleges and universities has historically focused on different factors related to charitable giving. Although this study has resulted in some valuable information for institutions to use for alumni involvement purposes, most of the research has not been able to produce a meaningful look into how alumni identify with their college or university after graduation. The purpose of this study is to assess how college and university alumni view their role with these institutions after graduation and how that perception relates to behaviors of support. An online survey was constructed to assess three dimensions of alumni role identity based upon previous research on the identification process of blood donation. This study took place through the alumni association at a large, public research university in the Midwest and found that those who displayed increased alumni role identity were more likely to support the university through joining the alumni association, attending university sponsored events and charitable giving. This study breaks ground for a new method of measuring the role of alumni within colleges and universities in efforts to increase support and ease the financial pressures of today’s institutions.

Table of Contents

Abstract Cover Story Start building ongoing communication with national fraternity officials Collaborate with national headquarters to help keep fraternity/soriority chapters in good standing Be prepared for alumni reactions Briefs Online food orders cut waiting time College juniors prep highschoolers Staff, students learn shooter response Yale bans kegs at university events Assessment Advice Provide staff members with assessment training Campus Safety Try community policing approach to reduce crime Off‐campus policing proves successful Substance Abuse Reduce misconduct, increase success with ‘OneLess’ Change alcohol culture Veterans Improve student‐veterans' success by meeting their needs Promote environment, policies to support student‐veterans Resources/Managing Your Office Develop staffers via self‐coaching Resources See interactive site on student‐vet programs Get some tips on boosting retention Free resource offers ‘green’ ideas You Be The Judge Did excessive force cause officer's death at game? Law & Campus MENTAL HEALTH University may be liable for student's suicide FRATERNITY/SORORITY LIFE Chapter must wait before suing over policy Understand recent OCR rulings involving athletic facilities Leaders & Innovators CAROL THOMPSON, DIRECTOR OF OUTREACH & ALUMNI RELATIONS, DIVISION OF STUDENT AFFAIRS, THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA Gain support by reconnecting with student‐leader alumni Word of Advice Reach out to alumni

Commission on Alumni Relations: Implementation and Development in USAMV Cluj-Napoca

The University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, as aprestigious university, wishes to reach a level of excellence in research and education and to achieveboth national and international competitiveness through its policies. As a first class university, ouruniversity is considers not only the preparation of specialists, but also the development of anentrepreneurial university, connected to socio-economic environment of the region and country. Insupporting and promoting such university policies, among other centers, the Commission on AlumniRelations was established. The main purpose of the Commission is to cultivate among the graduates asense of belonging to the academic community and their involvement in promoting USAMVCNprestige, to build partnerships between the university and the economic environment, to facilitate theaccess of graduates to economic structures and to achieve a reciprocal flow of information, scienceand technology, between the university and the economic environment. This paper wants to show towhat extent this commission is known, how transparent its activity is and also some measuresdesigned to improve its work.

Archives, accessibility, and advocacy: a case study of strategies for creating and maintaining relevance

QUESTION/OBJECTIVE: How can a special collection maintain or increase its profile in its parent institution, when that parent institution emphasizes scientific and clinical learning? The Waring Historical Library, Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), preserves and promotes the history of health sciences at MUSC and in South Carolina. As a state entity, MUSC has suffered significant budget cuts for the past several years. In this climate, the Waring had to find ways to maintain relevance in the MUSC community. The Waring partnered with the MUSC College of Nursing to explore new ways to build institutional allies. By combining traditional archival administration with innovative uses of digital collections aimed at institutional promotion and outreach, the Waring's digital library became an advocacy tool that led to the Waring's enhanced value to its parent institution. The Waring Library is a resource for MUSC development and alumni relations. Tangible outcomes include additional funding from grants, increased staff, no loss of institutional funding, increased access to collections, increased accessions, cultivation of institutional allies for long-term support of the Waring, and development of a template for future partnerships.

Evaluating a model for cost-effective data quality management in a real-world CRM setting

Managing data resources at high quality is usually viewed as axiomatic. However, we suggest that, since the process of improving data quality should attempt to maximize economic benefits as well, high data quality is not necessarily economically-optimal. We demonstrate this argument by evaluating a microeconomic model that links the handling of data quality defects, such as outdated data and missing values, to economic outcomes: utility, cost, and net-benefit. The evaluation is set in the context of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and uses large samples from a real-world data resource used for managing alumni relations. Within this context, our evaluation shows that all model parameters can be measured, and that all model-related assumptions are, largely, well supported. The evaluation confirms the assumption that the optimal quality level, in terms of maximizing net-benefits, is not necessarily the highest possible. Further, the evaluation process contributes some important insights for revising current data acquisition and maintenance policies.

Student affairs and alumni relations

AbstractThe chapter explains the unique position that student affairs administrators have in developing good relationships with alumni and the various strategies that can be used to maintain those connections.

Fundraising during an economic downturn within the Historically Black College and University environment

During tough economic times, fundraising can become increasingly difficult. At the nation's Historically Black College and Universities (HBCUs), the situation is exacerbated by a legacy of underfunding by various public and private entities as well as a commitment to educating mainly low-income, first generation students who need considerable financial aid. This article focuses on fundraising within the HBCU context during dire economic times. From the perspective of an informed practitioner, I discuss the various approaches used by HBCUs to weather the economic storm, including increased alumni engagement, outcomes fundraising (instead of crisis fundraising), faculty involvement, and pro-active public relations. I juxtapose my practitioner perspective with the literature on fundraising to illuminate concrete strategies for moving HBCUs from mere survival to success. In terms of data sources, I use the strategies employed by Prairie View A M University, an HBCU, in the areas of alumni relations, all campus fundraising, and public relations as well as donor letters and other solicitations. I analyze these strategies and provide recommendations for other HBCUs and minority serving institutions. Given that many HBCUs are having life-threatening financial problems right now (for example Morris Brown and Paul Quinn Colleges), uncovering successful fundraising strategies that can be replicated by others is absolutely essential.

Integrating development, alumni relations, and marketing for fundraising success

AbstractThis chapter describes practical steps that universities can take to more fully integrate their advancement offices to increase fundraising success. The author suggests using the for‐profit integration of sales and marketing offices as a model for university action.

Inequality in the utility of customer data: Implications for data management and usage

Customer data has long been recognized as a critical resource for supporting marketing efforts. With the rapidly increasing investments in the acquisition and the administration of customer data, the concern about cost-effective management of this important resource is growing. In this study, we explore the concept of inequality in the utility of data – the extent to which records in large data sets differ in their business-value contribution. The Lorenz curve and the associated Gini index, powerful tools for analyzing inequality, have been applied to a variety of social and economic disciplines. We adapt these tools for modeling and measuring inequality in the context of managing large customer data sets, and use them for analyzing utility/cost trade-offs and optimizing data management decisions. We demonstrate the application of these tools in the customer relationship management context of managing alumni relations, using large data samples from a real-world system. The results support our argument that understanding and measuring inequality in the utility of data may have important implications for better usage and administration of customer data.

Together again; Holding a school reunion

School reunion parties can be an extremely valuable basis to begin or enhance your alumni relations programme and kick off a capital fundraising appeal.

Table of Contents

Abstract Cover Story Connect with young alumni on their own turf Reach out to young alumni on their own terms Use technology to make most of your data, initiatives Did You Know? Institutional pages on social networks should clearly represent your college Bright Idea Train students to be good alumni while they are still enrolled Foundations Make sure prospective trustees understand what's expected of them Leaders & Innovators DAVID HERBSTER, ASSOCIATE ATHLETICS DIRECTOR AND DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA FOUNDATION Unified approach to athletics fundraising increases donors, dollars Word of Advice Climb ladder slowly, communicate with constituents often Development Will retiring boomers boost your volunteer ranks? Helpful Hints Attract more volunteers with these 3 strategies Giving Foundation giving grew in 2007; outlook remains bright Corporate foundation giving is up Of Counsel Descendants cannot interfere with Tulane's administration of unrestricted donation University boards dodge alumni association's discrimination claim Word of Advice Donors' descendants: handle with care Managing Your Office Focus on diversity improves work environment, employee retention Changing demographics reveal why you need diversity Avoid common interviewer errors with these strategies Executive Briefing La. State getting $1M for scholarships Retired Clemson prof. gives $1.25M Industrialist gives $1.5M for high‐tech building Utah receives $12M from foundation College visual arts center receives anonymous gift NAMES IN THE NEWS CSU, Sacramento gets new director of alumni relations

Communications and alumni relations: What is the correlation between an institution's communications vehicles and alumni annual giving?

This paper examines the relationship between colleges’ communications pieces and their undergraduate alumni giving. In order to test the question, 250 surveys were mailed to annual giving and development directors at private US colleges that were members of the Council of Advancement and Support of Education. Fifty-eight surveys were returned. The analysis revealed that the overall number of communications pieces sent to alumni was not associated with higher alumni giving levels or participation. The frequency with which certain communication pieces were sent was positively associated with giving: alumni magazines and alumni electronic newsletters. For annual fund and campaign appeal letters, the results were mixed; there was some positive association with alumni giving and some negative association with alumni giving.

Table of Contents

Abstract Cover Story Get nonacademic units involved in corporate partnerships Corporate partnerships bring in thousands of dollars Provide corporations opportunity to give at varying levels Many institutions have corporate partnership programs Did You Know? Successful partnerships address both institutions' and companies' needs Clearinghouse Estate tax reform topic of recent Senate Finance Committee Leaders & Innovators M. ERIN DOUGHERTY, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS AND ANNUAL GIVING, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT DALLAS Use technology to keep in touch with alumni regularly Word of Advice Use these tips to get ahead in the field Foundations Are you using your board members in most effective way possible? Word of Advice Avoid using board members as emergency fundraisers Giving Understand wealthiest donor base with data from new study Of Counsel Take a look at revamped Form 990 to prepare for next year IRS nixes donor‐advised funds from ‘dirty dozen’ Did You Know? New 990 includes enhanced instructions Managing Your Office Make sure your messages come across clearly when conversing with foreigners Answer these questions to retain your best employees Helpful Hints Follow these basic communication rules to make yourself understood Executive Briefing Financial services giant gives Webster $1M Institution gets $10M for heart research center University misses out on $2M donation Gift from swindler's estate to be returned SDSU receives $10M from former dean's wife NAMES IN THE NEWS 2 get top posts in alumni relations

Psychological bonds and their impact on behavioral loyalty in auditor‐client relationships

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the psychological bond on behavioral loyalty (word‐of‐mouth, continuance and non‐audit services) to audit firms providing services to companies listed on the Polish Stock Exchange.Design/methodology/approachA model is proposed and tested using structural equation modeling with LISREL. Data were collected from top executives of companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.FindingsThe psychological bond has a positive effect on word‐of‐mouth, continuance and non‐audit services.Research limitations/implicationsThe current research is limited to the investigation of the psychological bond as an antecedent of behavioral loyalty in Poland. Future research should identify and assess other antecedents and replicate these across different countries. A longitudinal survey across different points in time might reveal more useful information about auditor‐client relationships.Practical implicationsAuditors need to consider ways in which they can develop the psychological bond with their clients. This bond is the basis for the client believing the audit firm is superior to others, which has been found to lead to behavioral loyalty in this study. In particular, management of the auditor brand and reputation, personal experience of the audit firm and alumni relations are discussed as ways of enhancing the psychological bond among client executives.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine the impact of the psychological bond on behavioral loyalty in auditor‐client relationships.

A Hidden Markov Model of Customer Relationship Dynamics

This research models the dynamics of customer relationships using typical transaction data. Our proposed model permits not only capturing the dynamics of customer relationships, but also incorporating the effect of the sequence of customer-firm encounters on the dynamics of customer relationships and the subsequent buying behavior. Our approach to modeling relationship dynamics is structurally different from existing approaches. Specifically, we construct and estimate a nonhomogeneous hidden Markov model to model the transitions among latent relationship states and effects on buying behavior. In the proposed model, the transitions between the states are a function of time-varying covariates such as customer-firm encounters that could have an enduring impact by shifting the customer to a different (unobservable) relationship state. The proposed model enables marketers to dynamically segment their customer base and to examine methods by which the firm can alter long-term buying behavior. We use a hierarchical Bayes approach to capture the unobserved heterogeneity across customers. We calibrate the model in the context of alumni relations using a longitudinal gift-giving data set. Using the proposed model, we probabilistically classify the alumni base into three relationship states and estimate the effect of alumni-university interactions, such as reunions, on the movement of alumni between these states. Additionally, we demonstrate improved prediction ability on a hold-out sample.

A Hidden Markov Model of Customer Relationship Dynamics

This research models the dynamics of customer relationships using typical transaction data. Our proposed model permits not only capturing the dynamics of customer relationships but also incorporating the effect of the sequence of customer-firm encounters on the dynamics of customer relationships and the subsequent buying behavior. Our approach to modeling relationship dynamics is structurally different from existing approaches. Specifically, we construct and estimate a nonhomogeneous hidden Markov model to model the transitions among latent relationship states and effects on buying behavior. In the proposed model, the transitions between the states are a function of time-varying covariates such as customer-firm encounters that may have an enduring impact by shifting the customer to a different (unobservable) relationship state. The proposed model enables marketers to dynamically segment their customer base and to examine methods by which the firm can alter the long-term buying behavior. We use a hierarchical Bayes approach to capture the unobserved heterogeneity across customers. We calibrate the model in the context of alumni relations using a longitudinal gift-giving dataset. Using the proposed model, we are able to probabilistically classify the alumni base into three relationship states and estimate the effect of alumni-university interactions, such as reunions, on the movement of alumni between these states. Additionally, we demonstrate improved prediction ability on a hold-out sample.

Celebrating Your Recreational Sports Alumni: Connecting Generations for Future Success

Previous recreational sports employees and participants represent a tremendous source of history, knowledge, insight, collaborative potential, and life experiences. Connecting prior generations of personnel and participants can acknowledge the past, be beneficial to the present, and energize the future. The rationale for establishing an alumni network within a recreational sports department is that such a network can provide a multitude of morale, business, communication, and qualitative benefits. The development of an alumni network can also help create a sense of pride, tradition, and excellence in a recreational sports department. Finally, it can provide guest instructors with specialized expertise, open the door for sponsorship opportunities, and allow for a productive partnership with the alumni office. Good alumni relations start with the experience that is provided to individuals while they are at the institution. Once the decision is made to introduce alumni programming, the recreational sports administrator must then determine objectives, define the target group, and collect and categorize data. Dates and times for programs and services must then be selected, communication methods identified, and specific media must be chosen. Plans for this endeavor will also be greatly influenced by the level of funding and amount of resources allotted. Examples of techniques that have been successfully implemented at various institutions include newsletters, group functions, philanthropic activities, and recognition.

Football U.: Spectator Sports in the Life of the American University (review)

Reviewed by: Football U.: Spectator Sports in the Life of the American University Edward St. John (bio) J. Douglas Toma. Football U.: Spectator Sports in the Life of the American University. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2003. 292 pp. Cloth: $29.95. ISBN: 0-472-11299-6. Football U.: Spectator Sports in the Life of the American University takes a fresh look at the role of big-time college sports and, in the process, makes a compelling argument about the institution-building process. Douglas Toma appeals to inner images of college football that many of us hold, either from personal experience or television Saturdays, and challenges us to think about how these images relate to the culture of colleges, the commitments of alumni to their alma maters, and the ability of major universities to raise money. He builds a persuasive case that success on the sports field is central to the success of universities, but does the case hold up beyond schools with a history of victory? A good writer as well as a skilled lawyer, Toma tells an interesting story about college sports, creating vivid mental pictures of fall football weekends, [End Page 448] complete with tailgate parties. While many academics and policymakers criticize college sports for violence, corruption, and high costs, Toma argues that these flaws should not cause us to lose sight of the value of the big football weekend. He demonstrates how the legal skills of argumentation can build a defense that should be appealing to sports fans with an interest in academe. It is noteworthy how well Toma weaves insights from the literature on higher education into a book that could attract general readers. A scholar of higher education, he crafts chapters that draw upon John Thelin's colorful histories and sprinkles in compelling insights from the literatures on students, the commercialization of sports in higher education, public support for higher education, and alumni relations and development—areas well-represented in the scholarship in our field. Toma also ventures into the role of brands, symbols, and media—topics our field has not studied sufficiently. Toma builds the case for viewing sports as an integral part of academic life and the institution-building process in major universities. Since it was written like a defense statement, however, Toma's text does not always provide a balanced or critical treatment of college sports. A contrasting view can be found in Derek Bok's Universities in the Marketplace: The Commercialization of Higher Education (2003). Bok describes historical patterns of the commercialization of athletics, arguing that universities can overinvest in sports teams, creating financial problems. Bok draws a parallel between overinvestment in sports and excessive spending on the development of electronic degree programs. He notes also that enthusiastic commercialization in sports can have high costs for universities, leading to long-term financial problems. We find no such criticism or constraints on exuberance in Toma's treatment of commercialization: Institutions must then hope people remember [that] a university lies beyond the football stadium, and that commercialism associated with spectator sports does not erode the integrity that society expects of higher education. . . . Prestige may be more important than actuality of quality here—perceptions may matter more than an actual job being done. Given the connections between athletics success and institutional prestige, a weak football program can prove to be a distraction when seeking external support to advance key initiatives and agendas. Along the same lines, a strong program may encourage needed support. (p. 120) Thus, Toma skims over the downside of commercialization by extolling the virtues of winning. Having a winning team, he argues, brings in state funding, private gifts, and students from in state and out of state. He does not examine research literature to determine whether there is a proven statistical relationship between winning sports teams and enrollment. Rather he makes the assertion largely with anecdotes and interviews with officials in 11 football universities to build his case. But what about the experiences of the many institutions that have made substantial investments in sports and have not had teams with national titles? There is a great deal of financial risk associated with the goal of becoming a contender in...