AOA Secretary

Some folks have asked why the secretary position in the new Association of Alumni is slated to be a member of the college administration. The AGTF discussed this at length, and we felt it was an important choice. Why? Because, until such time as the Association is financially (and/or legally) independent, if it ever is, it will be dependent on the Alumni Relations Office for logistical and financial support. We envision that the function of Association Secretary (recording and printing of minutes, arranging and facilitating meetings and conference calls, publishing meeting notices, distributing printed materials, announcing Alumni Trustee Nominees, etc., etc.) will continue to be performed by someone from that office, whether or not they hold official status within the Association.

There is no need to create an empty, do-nothing officer position. More important is to make sure that there is an identified person in the AR office specifically responsible for those necessary functions and for maintaining the institutional memory and support structure for a leadership that is volunteer and constantly changing. It was clear to most of us that if we didn't already have such a person and the structure behind them that we would have to create them, essentially duplicating what currently exists (and we would have to pay for it!). At the same time, we prized what independence we do have and did not want a member of the administration, even if they were also an alum, to have undue influence. Thus, we made the position of Association Secretary non-voting. It is a support function. In assigning the secretary function to the Vice President of Alumni Relations, or his/her designee, we maintain a strong and appropriate link between the Association and the College and ensure the continued financial and logistical viability of the Association.