Bradley University Final Project

Strategic Analysis Bradley University Alumni Association

Emily Birge Michael Costello Eric Gottschalk Melissa Hegg Alex Kapustka Tim Osborn

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Table of Contents

Project Purpose ........................................................................................................................................................................... 3 History of the BUAA .................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Methodology ................................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Environmental and Industry Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 17 Business/Industry Description ......................................................................................................................... 17 General Environment ............................................................................................................................................ 17 Industry Environment .......................................................................................................................................... 23 Organizational Analysis ........................................................................................................................................................ 30 Survey Results .......................................................................................................................................................................... 37 Discussion of Survey Results .............................................................................................................................................. 86 Board Evaluation ..................................................................................................................................................................... 89 2010-‐2015 Strategic Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 92 2015-‐2020 Strategic Plan .................................................................................................................................................... 94 Strategic Plan Description and Rationale ..................................................................................................................... 96 Strategic Plan Recommendations ................................................................................................................................. 103 Appendices .............................................................................................................................................................................. 108 Appendix A .............................................................................................................................................................. 108 Appendix B .............................................................................................................................................................. 111 Appendix C .............................................................................................................................................................. 112 Appendix D .............................................................................................................................................................. 114

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Project Purpose Nature of the Problem The major issue for the Bradley University Alumni Association (BUAA) is the lack of participation. This problem appears to be related to three specific areas—future alumni’s awareness of the association, engagement of recent alumni, and networking between future, newer, and older alumni.

1. The future alumni, or current students, often are unaware of the BUAA. The social media presence is small and is not engaging enough students. Events hosted by the BUAA for current students are poorly advertised and result in low attendance.

2. The BUAA contacts recent alumni shortly after graduating, asking for donations and

involvement in events. The recent alumni also do not see the benefits of joining the association. Most likely because of the immediate request for donations and preconceived notions of the association, membership is low. The BUAA needs to change the perceptions to increase membership.

3. Communication is also an issue in networking between future, newer, and older

alumni. The newsletters contain news of networking events, but these are usually deleted before being read. To increase attendance, the BUAA is exploring new types of social media. Without new methods of communications, newer and older alumni do not know how to register for the events and future alumni do not attend.

Project Scope and Deliverables The purpose of the BUAA is to connect current students and alumni in order to foster lifelong loyalty to Bradley University. Our purpose is to provide guidance related to the current strategy employed by the BUAA. We will revisit the 2010-‐2015 strategic plan and make relevant recommendations. To meet this end, we will analyze the vision statements described in the BUAA 2010-‐2015 strategic plan for relevance and effectiveness. After the analysis, we will modify the strategy and update the 2015-‐2020 strategic plan to match the new strategy. Our ultimate goal is to generate a proactive strategy to engage alumni and create mutually rewarding opportunities for lifelong engagement, service, and support. In order to achieve our goal, we will provide an in-‐depth analysis on the current strategy, including our proposed changes to the strategy, results from our alumni surveys, and similar schools’ approaches. We will be providing a student-‐run, cross-‐functional analysis over the effectiveness of the BUAA through market research, trend analysis, and personal experiences. While developing a new strategy, we will align our goals with the goals of the Bradley University Board of Trustees. We will strive to generate more awareness and attendance at sporting and on-‐campus alumni events. By doing so, we will bridge the generation gap between newer and older alumni.

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Importance to the Client This project is important to our client, because the BUAA needs to increase involvement. We will be working to find innovative solutions to this problem. Once the issue of membership is addressed, the BUAA will have a larger base of future, newer, and older alumni to increase networking capabilities. The BUAA has many benefits and events to help students and alumni connect—as well as leadership banquets—but due to poor advertising, people are not aware of these offerings and are not attending these events. The association will be able to improve performance by increasing awareness and, in return, increasing membership of the alumni association. In the strategic plan from 2015-‐2020, we will include an in-‐depth analysis of the association by incorporating an industrial and environment analysis. This comprehensive analysis will help us to analyze the current membership problem and deliver solutions.

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History of the BUAA The Bradley University National Alumni Association was founded in 1901 with the purpose of building and maintaining stronger relationships between the university and graduates. However, it was not until 1950 with the creation of the Alumni Office that the association began to flourish. In order to establish strong ties between alumni and the university, the alumni association organized chapters in major cities, began publishing an alumni magazine, and established awards given by the institution. In 1999, the board of directors made significant changes in the structure to align the association’s goals with the university’s goals. Following the structure change, the alumni association sponsored student retention programs. The name was changed to the Bradley University Alumni Association (BUAA) to reflect the new structure and global presence. The online presence of the association has also grown to help establish new ties with younger alumni and allow for distant alumni to reconnect. Today, the BUAA occupies the Hayden-‐Clark Alumni Center, which stands behind Bradley Hall.

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Methodology Week of January 27, 2014 This week, our group had our initial meeting. Students were divided by major and given specific instructions on the composition of each team, which ensured that every group was diverse. Then the students were responsible for forming groups with the correct composition. Our team had one marketing major, Tim Osborn, two management majors, Melissa Hegg and Emily Birge, two accounting majors, Mike Costello and Alex Kapustka, and one MIS major, Eric Gottschalk. Once we were divided into teams, we had our initial orientation to the senior project in class with Dr. Buchko on Wednesday, January 29. At that time, we reviewed the policies and procedures for the project. After class, our team met to exchange contact information and schedules to establish regular meeting times. At this time, we were presented with a selection of potential clients. After a group discussion, our group selected the Bradley University Alumni Association (BUAA) as our client for the project. Following selection, we began discussing how to approach the project. We selected Alex as our project manager, who contacted the client to establish a date and time for our initial client meeting. Week of February 3, 2014 In order to gain an understanding of the client and determine the purpose of the project, Alex arranged a meeting time Amy Turk, President-‐Elect of the BUAA, Tory Jennetten, Director of Alumni Relations, and three other members on Friday, February 7. Before the meeting, our team met to determine relevant questions for the discussion. In order to gain understanding of the client and scope of the project, we asked about the following topics: the purpose of the project, goals of the project, current general strategy, successes and failures of the BUAA, strengths and weakness of BUAA, comparable schools to benchmark, and types of events offered by the BUAA. We received various responses from Ms. Turk and Ms. Jennetten, which can be seen in attached meeting minutes (See Appendix A). Additionally, we were asked to appear before the BUAA Board of Directors on February 21, to which we agreed.

Week of February 10, 2014 On Monday, February 10, our team met to discuss the initial client meeting, and the time was primarily used to update team members who were unable to attend. On Wednesday, February 12,we met again to discuss the project purpose section, and Alex was designated the task leader. On Saturday, February 15, Alex met with Mike to write the project purpose, which included the nature of the problem, project scope, and deliverables. Based on discussion and information from client meetings, Alex and Mike determined that nature of the problem related to three areas—current student unawareness of the BUAA, engagement of recent alumni, and networking between future, newer, and older alumni. Alex and Mike also determined that the final deliverable would be a proposed 2015-‐2020

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strategic plan to present to the BUAA Board of Directors. We determined that our team would provide an analysis on the current strategic plan, develop a survey for alumni, and use our knowledge to make recommendations. Melissa, the project editor, edited the project purpose draft on February 16. Week of February 17, 2014 On Monday, February 17, our team met to discuss the project purpose, and we agreed that the draft was appropriate and within scope of the project. On Tuesday, February 18, Alex met with Ms. Jennetten to provide a status update on the project. At the meeting, the primary topics were the project purpose and upcoming board meeting. On Wednesday, February 19, our team had class, and we listened to a presentation on the Environmental and Industry Analysis (EIA), which was followed by a discussion. After class, our team met to discuss the approach to the EIA before moving forward. We determined which section of the EIA outline applied to the BUAA, as the alumni association industry is unique compared to most clients’ industries. Our group decided to allocate five to six sections of the EIA to each team member based on major and interests. Each member was required to write a sentence by February 24 to compose an outline for the EIA. On Friday, February 21, our team met with the BUAA Board of Directors to inform the board of the project purpose and expected deliverables. (See meeting minutes in Appendix B.) At the meeting, the board asked us to expand the purpose to include an analysis of the board structure, to which we agreed. Following the meeting, Alex edited the project purpose and adjusted the project scope. He drafted a letter of engagement based on these changes, which was signed by the client. Week of February 24, 2014 After meeting with the board, we determined the research objectives and began to conduct internet searches on other alumni associations, looking specifically for recent studies. From that research, we developed an in-‐depth interview to obtain our qualitative research. We interviewed 17 respondents between the ages of 21 and 65, asking questions about their thoughts, opinions, and attitudes toward Bradley University and the BUAA. We then analyzed the responses and searched for commonalities and unique insights. On Wednesday, February 26, our team met with Dr. Buchko to hand in and discuss the EIA outline. Previously, each member of the team wrote their assigned portions of the outline. Dr. Buchko provided guidance on keeping, expanding, or deleting certain sections. With a revised EIA outline, the team settled on 28 issues that were relevant to the BUAA. The team set a deadline of March 14 for each member to write an analysis on their assigned section of the EIA. Below is description of how members proceeded: In order to find outside data related to alumni associations, Alex conducted web searches to find companies that worked with alumni associations. After finding the Napa Group online, he used publically available resources found on the Napa Group website to determine constraints that keep alumni from being involved with alumni associations. This

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source was primarily used to support the argument that alumni associations and other professional organizations have high switching costs, alumni have low propensity to substitute, and have relatively low performance compared to other professional organizations. In order to write the economic portion of the EIA, Mike performed Google searches on other alumni associations to make comparisons to associations at schools of similar size. He drew conclusions on the directions of regional economies and the current impact of alumni associations. He also used his knowledge of alumni associations and input from recently graduated family members to give recommendations. This was primarily used to support the sections of probable future directions of the local economy, customer purchasing power, income differences/distribution, shift in relative demand for different categories of goods and services, and labor markets/unemployment rates. Eric searched for the best social media technologies currently used by businesses and alumni associations. He researched common social media technologies and websites, using sources such as The New York Times and Forbes. Eric also used his knowledge of information systems to draw conclusions about new technologies recommended for communication. Emily used online resources, such as library databases and comparable schools’ homepages, to collect information on other alumni associations. She then compiled the data and analyzed the information relevant to assigned sections of the EIA. Melissa conducted internet searches to collect information on donor leverage and social issues relevant to alumni associations. She used a variety of statistical data from sources—such as the Society for Human Resource Management, USA Today, Washington Post, and Population Reference Bureau—to perform an analysis and predict how these will impact alumni associations. She also began compiling and editing the EIA. Tim researched trends in alumni associations. He also conducted research about specific alumni associations to uncover trends based on other associations’ objectives and events. He compiled the secondary data for the EIA and the survey. Week of March 3, 2014 On Wednesday, March 5, our team discussed the approach to the organizational analysis. After class, we met and determined which sections of the organizational analysis provided by Dr. Buchko were relevant to the BUAA. In order to perform the organizational analysis, we divided the various sections by major and interest. Each team member had five to six different sections. To generate an outline for the organizational analysis, each member was told to write a sentence for their assigned sections by March 14. We also decided on a deadline of March 26 for the organizational analysis draft to be sent to the project editor. Tim used the secondary and qualitative research to develop a survey. The purpose of the survey was to gain quantitative research to run tests and analyses. The purpose was to

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explain why the BUAA has seen a decrease in activity by younger graduates, as well as generate ideas to counteract this decrease. When developing the questionnaire, he attempted to determine precisely what information the BUAA required to make improvements. He determined that the main objectives were evaluating the current practices and activities of the BUAA, determining what motivates alumni to become involved in the BUAA, and discovering the causes for the lack of activity in certain age groups. In regards to the design of the survey, Tim decided to have an initial series of questions that captured part of the respondents’ attitudes toward Bradley University, the BUAA, and other areas that might affect loyalty to the university. Respondents were given a Likert scale and had to choose a value from “0” to “10,” “0” meaning “strongly disagree” and “10” meaning “strongly agree”. A description of the BUAA and the association’s purpose were given, followed by another series of questions related to specific aspects of the BUAA. Again, a Likert scale was given and respondents were asked to rank their opinion from “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree” with the questions that followed. Finally, a third section employing a Likert scale from “0” to “10” was used, this time asking respondents to rate opinions about current and potential opportunities related to involvement with the BUAA. In this section, “0” was used to signify “very unappealing” and “10” was used to signify “very appealing.” Week of March 10, 2014 Our group took a critical look at the wording, format, and length of the survey. Several revisions were made and analyzed, before a final version was submitted to the BUAA to be sent out through email. Week of March 17, 2014 This week was Bradley University’s spring break. During this time, Alex entered the survey into Qualtrics, and Melissa finished editing the EIA. A copy of the survey is placed below, and an explanation of each question follows.

This survey is being conducted as a part of a consultative project for the Bradley University Alumni Association. The information obtained from this survey will be used to inform and direct the future decisions of the Bradley University Alumni Association. This survey is designed to understand current alumni opinions and attitudes about the Bradley University Alumni Association, and factors affecting this organization. Your response is greatly appreciated and will have a valuable impact on the future of the Bradley University Alumni Association For the purposes of this study, we will use the term BUAA to refer to the Bradley University Alumni Association. Please read the following statements and rate your agreement with each using an 11-point scale where “0” means strongly disagree and “10” means strongly agree.

Strongly Strongly Disagree Agree

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I consider myself very loyal to Bradley University ………………….………………………….. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider the education I received from Bradley University to be highly valuable …………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider myself to be proud of the educational caliber of Bradley University ……………... ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I feel a sense of significance as a Bradley University alum..….............................................. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider myself to be very involved with the BUAA…………………………………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider myself to be very involved another non-mandatory professional organization or affinity group…………………………………………………………………………………………………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider my life post-graduation to be successful……………………………………………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider quality of education one of Bradley’s greatest assets……………………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider campus life one of Bradley’s greatest assets…………….…… …………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider myself to be satisfied with my education from Bradley……………………………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider myself to be very connected to Bradley as an alum……………………………….. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider a college education to be something that sets me apart in the world................... ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I consider a college education simply a necessity for employment..……….…..……………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ The BUAA exists to help alumni stay connected to Bradley University, as well as connect alumni with one another. The BUAA offers various services and annual events to accomplish these tasks. The BUAA also attempts to maintain up-to-date information about graduates. Please consider the description of the BUAA when reading the following statements. Rate your agreement with each using an 11-point scale where “0” means strongly disagree and “10” means strongly agree.

Strongly Strongly Disagree Agree

I would consider myself very knowledgeable about the BUAA……………………………….. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I am actively involved with the BUAA…………………….………….…………………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I learned about the BUAA during my time at Bradley………………………………………….. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ During my time at Bradley, I looked forward to my involvement in the BUAA………………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I am kept well-informed about the campus as an alum......................................................... ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I am well-informed about the events and services offered by the BUAA…………………….. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I regularly attend events offered by the BUAA……………………………………..……………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I am aware of the alumni webpage………………………………………………………………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I visit the alumni webpage regularly…………………….......................................................... ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I am aware of the BUConnect online service…………………………………………………….. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I use the BUConnect online service………………..……………………………………..……… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I feel valued by the BUAA as an alum..…………………………………………………..……… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I believe that participation in the BUAA is a valuable use of my time……..………………….. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I regularly donate to the BUAA……………………………………………….……………………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ I have been frustrated at some point in the past by phone calls related to giving to Bradley as a graduate…………………………….……………………………………………….……………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ How appealing are each of the following to you? For the purposes of this question, “appealing” means that you would desire to participate and strongly consider investing the time required to do so. Rate your likelihood with each using an 11-point scale where “0” is very unappealing and “10” is very appealing. Very Very Unappealing Appealing Professional mentoring opportunity between a current student and you as an alum…………………………………………………………………………………………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ Sporting events……………………………………………………….………….…………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ Professional networking opportunities……………………………………..……………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ Alumni singles groups………………………………………………………………………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ Free classes and seminars that will make me more competitive in my career……. ………….. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ Free classes and seminars about current issues and other topics that interest me ………….. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ BUAA social media pages such as Facebook and Twitter…………….………………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ Opportunities to casually spend time with other alumni and their families....…………………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ Opportunities to casually spend time with other alumni, without families………….. …………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ Opportunities to volunteer in the Peoria area with other alumni.……………….………………. ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ Opportunities through the BUAA to do pro-bono work with a team of other alumni to gain career-related experience and assist local nonprofits......………………………………………………………………………………………… ⓪ ① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧ ⑨ ⑩ These final questions are only for categorical purposes. We assure you that your individual responses will not be shared.

What is your gender: r Male r Female

Which category best captures your age? r 20 and below r 21 to 25 r 26 to 30 r 31 to 35 r 36 to 40 r 41 to 45 r 46 to 50 r 51 to 55 r 56 to 60 r 61 to 65 r 65 to 70 r 70 and above

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Which category best captures your household income? r Less than $25,000 r $25,000 to $49,999 r $50,000 to $74,999 r $75,000 to $99,999 r $100,000 to $149,999 r $150,000 or more Do you receive your undergraduate degree from Bradley University? r Yes r No Did you receive your graduate degree from Bradley University? r Yes r No Would you recommend Bradley University to a prospective student? r Yes r No What college did you graduate from? r Slane College of Communication and Fine Arts

r College of Education and Health Science r Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology r College of Liberal Arts and Sciences r Foster College of Business

Thank you for your participation.

If you have any additional comments regarding the BUAA please feel free to write them below.

Survey question 1.1 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself very loyal to Bradley University.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). Our group believes that brand loyalty is a contributing factor in activity in active participation with the BUAA. We asked this question to gain a profile of graduates’ loyalty to Bradley. The intention was to correlate the overall level of loyalty with various factors identified within the survey to determine which factors most closely determined loyalty. Survey question 1.2 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider the education I received from Bradley University to be highly valuable.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). We felt that perceived value would result in higher brand loyalty, and thus, a higher likelihood of participation in the BUAA. The intention was to correlate the perceived value of education with various factors identified within the survey—such as loyalty—to see how the perceived value affected participation. Survey question 1.3 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be proud of the educational caliber of Bradley University.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). We felt that pride in the education received would result in higher brand loyalty, and thus, a higher likelihood of participation. The intention was to correlate the pride in the education received with various factors identified within the survey—such as brand loyalty—to see how pride affected participation. Survey question 1.4 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I feel a sense of significance as a Bradley University alum.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). We believed that feeling a sense of significance as a Bradley alum would create a desire to be involved following graduation. The intention was to correlate the sense of significance with various factors identified in the survey—such as level of involvement—to see how the feeling of significance affected participation. Survey question 1.5 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be very involved with the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale

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from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This was used to gain an understanding of which factors drive those who would consider themselves actively involved with the BUAA. The intention was to correlate involvement with the BUAA with various factors identified in the survey, such as brand loyalty, age, etc. Survey question 1.6 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be very involved with another non-‐mandatory professional organization or affinity group.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). We believed that involvement in other organizations would decrease involvement with the BUAA. The intention was to correlate involvement in other organizations with other factors measuring level of involvement with the BUAA. Survey question 1.7 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider my life post-‐graduation to be successful.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). We believed that successful alumni would have increased loyalty and involvement, while less successful alumni would have decreased loyalty and involvement. The intention was to correlate success with loyalty, as well as other factors identified in the survey. Survey question 1.8 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider quality of education one of Bradley’s most important assets.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). We included this question because we believed it would give insight into what types of activities the BUAA might consider for graduates. Survey question 1.9 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider campus life one of Bradley’s greatest assets.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). We included this question because we believed it would give insight into what types of activities the BUAA might consider for graduates. Survey question 1.10 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be satisfied with my education from Bradley.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). We believed those who were more satisfied with their educational experiences would be more loyal, and thus, more likely to be involved after graduation. The intention was to correlate satisfaction with education with various factors identified within the survey—such as loyalty—to see how satisfaction affected participation. Survey question 1.11 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be very connected to Bradley as an alum.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to rate the overall success of the BUAA’s efforts. The question also allowed our group to run correlation tests against loyalty and other factors identified within the survey.

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Survey question 1.12 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider a college education to be something that sets me apart in the world.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to examine the possible differences in perception between alumni of different demographic groups. Survey question 1.13 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider a college education simply a necessity for employment.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to examine the possible differences in perception between alumni of different demographic groups. Survey question 2.1 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I would consider myself very knowledgeable about the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to rate how knowledgeable graduates are in regards to the BUAA, assuming that knowledge is the first step to participation in the BUAA. Survey question 2.2 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am actively involved with the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). The question was used to gain an understanding of what factors drive the alumni who are actively involved with the BUAA. The intention was to correlate involvement with the BUAA against various factors identified in the survey. Survey question 2.3 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I learned about the BUAA during my time at Bradley.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This was included to determine the BUAA’s success of marketing to students before graduation. Survey question 2.4 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “During my time at Bradley, I looked forward to my involvement in the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine level of interest in the BUAA prior to graduation. Survey question 2.5 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am kept well-‐informed about the campus as an alum.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine the success of the BUAA’s efforts to keep graduates connected to and informed about the campus. Survey question 2.6 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am well-‐informed about the events and services offered by the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 1 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine the success of the BUAA’s efforts to make services and events known to graduates.

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Survey question 2.7 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I regularly attend events offered by the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This was to be used to gain an understanding of factors that drive alumni to attend events. The intention was to correlate event attendance against various factors identified in the survey. Survey question 2.8 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am aware of the alumni webpage.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine awareness of the BUAA webpage. Survey question 2.9 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I visit the alumni webpage regularly.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine if the alumni webpage is effective in reaching alumni. Survey question 2.10 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am aware of the BUConnect online service.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine alumni awareness of the BUConnect service. Survey question 2.11 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I use the BUConnect online service.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine alumni’s levels of usage of the service. Survey question 2.12 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I feel valued by the BUAA as an alum.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine attitudes about the BUAA, as well as correlate the feeling of value with involvement to determine if a relationship exists. Survey question 2.13 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I believe that participation in the BUAA is a valuable use of my time.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine attitudes about the BUAA, as well as analyze the BUAA’s efforts to communicate the value of participation to graduates. Survey question 2.14 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I regularly donate to the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to correlate donation with other factors identified within the survey, which can determine what influences an alum to donate. Survey question 2.15 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I have been

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frustrated at some point in the past by phone calls related to giving to Bradley as a graduate.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). This question was included to determine the amount of alumni who have been frustrated by calls. We also intended to correlate this with participation and donation, in order to determine if a relationship exists. Week of March 24, 2014 On Tuesday March 25, the survey was sent out to five thousand alumni with a completion date of April 1. Our team previously set a deadline of Wednesday, March 26 for the organizational analysis. Below is a description of how each member proceeded: Alex used internal documents provided by Ms. Jennetten to determine the structure of the board of directors. The documents were also used to analyze the committee structure and goals of the association. Based on conversations with Ms. Jennetten, he was able to evaluate the relative effectiveness of each committee. Mike used internal documents, BUAA by-‐laws and the BUAA committee descriptions—provided by Ms. Jennetten—to analyze management and staff-‐level personnel of the BUAA. He also had in-‐depth conversations with Ms. Jennetten on employee morale and skill, specialized skills, and experience to gain a greater understanding before making recommendations. The information provided by Ms. Jennetten helped clarify where the BUAA needs to make improvements. Eric used the by-‐laws, committee descriptions document, and SWOT analysis to write his portions of the organizational analysis. Eric also used his knowledge and past experiences to judge the methods of running meetings used by the BUAA. The meeting analysis is based on descriptions provided in internal documents and personal experiences at a meeting of the board of directions. Tim used information given by the BUAA to understand the various aspects of marketing in order to develop his portion of the organizational analysis. Based on interviews, discussions, and the resources provided by the BUAA, he assessed the firm’s ability to market offerings, analyzed the effects of current efforts, and provided suggestions for leveraging current assets and addressing shortcomings. He discovered that the BUAA has several assets available, but the resources are not being used properly, which has resulted in negative outcomes. After the survey was entered into Qualtrics, the BUAA assisted our group’s research by emailing the survey to a pool of 5,000 graduates on March 24. Week of March 31, 2014 On Wednesday April 2, our team met to begin discussing the deliverables, primarily focused on the creation of 2015-‐2020 strategic plan. To begin, one team member wrote the current mission statement, and our team worked together to identify good elements of the

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mission. Elements that were currently working well were saved, and the rest was deleted. Next, our group discussed the primary purpose of the BUAA. Keeping that purpose in mind, we brainstormed to modify the mission statement. The end result was a more concise—but otherwise similar—version of the mission. We repeated this process for each of the three current vision statements; we identified the main point of each vision statement and created a reworked, concise version. Our team met again on Saturday, April 5 to further discuss the statements. We drafted final proposed versions of the mission and vision statements. Upon completion of the statements, our team focused on the strategic initiative under each section, choosing three initiatives to fall under each statement. During these discussions, we determined that each vision statement should be paired with a committee to ensure that a committee was responsible for executing each vision. On Sunday, April 6, our group met to finalize all previously discussed deliverables. A reminder email for the survey was sent on March 31. We received 280 responses before the survey was pulled on April 1. Finally, Tim used Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to run and analyze the data we obtained from the surveys. He used SPSS, because the program provided the most efficient means of analysis and chart generation. Week of April 7, 2014 Our team met briefly to reaffirm deadlines and priorities for the week. Deliverable sections were assigned to each team member and given the due date of Thursday, April 10. On Wednesday, April 9, our team met to discuss further refine our strategic recommendations. We brainstormed actionable items that the BUAA can use to develop more content that alumni will enjoy. This content was tailored based on survey responses, focusing on continuing education and networking. During the meeting, we refined and incorporated these ideas into the visions statement recommendations. In order to gain further understanding about board operations and opinions, Alex conducted various phone interviews with multiple board and staff members, who will remain anonymous. Alex asked questions to understand the perception these members have of the board, which helped him evaluate the current board structure. Week of April 14, 2014 A draft of the report was turned into both Dr. Buchko and Ms. Jennetten. Alex and Melissa edited based on their recommendations. Alex turned in the final draft to Dr. Buchko. Week of April 21, 2014 Alex picked up the edited draft from Dr. Buchko, and our group made changes based on his recommendations. Tim generated graphs, and Mike wrote paragraphs explaining the meaning of the graphs. Emily wrote about board evaluations. Alex and Melissa edited based on Dr. Buchko’s recommendations, and Alex bound the final copy of the report.

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Environmental and Industry Analysis Business/Industry Description

The Bradley University Alumni Association (BUAA) serves as a connection between alumni and students and promotes lifelong engagement with Bradley University. The association’s customers are primarily Bradley alumni, but current students are customers as well. The BUAA’s services include events such as guest speakers, webinars, and banquets. Major competitors are other organizations—such as professional associations and volunteer groups—that compete for alumni’s time and money.

General Environment Economic

Probable Future Directions of the Local Economy

The probable future direction of the regional economy may impact alumni relations. The relationships between regional employers and Bradley students determine alumni involvement. The economies of regional hotspots in the Midwest—St. Louis, Chicago, and southern Wisconsin—can affect the job placement of young Bradley alumni. It can also create physical distance between Bradley students and the university. If employers are creating high-‐paying jobs for Bradley students, then it helps transition alumni to long-‐term regional residents. The post-‐graduate employment statistics of Bradley graduates are closely related to the largest regional and local employers. Since the Midwest is known for manufacturing, the shift towards the technological industry may be hurting business success. Illinois is also one of the top three states that people moved out of in 2013.1 These moves are due to the climate and economic hard times in the industrial sector. In addition, the baby boomers are starting to retire and relocate to warmer climates away from the Midwest. Older and younger alumni are moving farther away from Bradley and losing the close connection to Bradley, which is leading to fewer donations. The rise in technology is lowering the need for workers in manufacturing, which is directly affecting employment the Midwest. As a result, companies are outsourcing and making strategic moves to other locations outside the Midwest. This will cause lowered involvement in Bradley’s alumni association. Capital Availability

For purposes of this analysis, capital availability refers to the funds available to support alumni activities and alumni engagement. The methods used by alumni associations to reach students are changing; in the past newsletters or magazines were used in mass alumni mailings, and various alumni chapters hosted local events. While events are still 1 http://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2013/02/07/the-‐states-‐people-‐are-‐fleeing-‐in-‐2013/

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important, changes in costs and the pressure on university budgets has made it increasingly difficult to generate the necessary level of funding support for alumni relations. In the future, there will be increasing pressure on university funding and on the ability of new students to support alumni activities. In addition, new methods of alumni engagement such as social media will continue to drive costs. This will place increased demand on costs.2 Alumni associations will need to consider developing new funding and development models and/or methods of reducing costs in order to meet the shortfall in available capital.

Customer Purchasing Power

Customer purchasing power is the value of money in terms of the amount of good or service that the money can buy. A donation made today will likely be of less value in the future because of inflation. “The buying power of Americans continues to be weaker than it was when the recession hit four years ago” and this is shown by an “inflation-‐adjusted median household income falling 4.4% since 2009.”3 Alumni’s disposable income is not worth as much now as it was in the past. This leaves little room for donations, because the dollar is worth less. In the future, there will be added pressure on the alumni associations to raise larger amounts of donations to fund activities, such as banquets or leadership retreats. Alumni associations will have to find different marketing opportunities, improve communications, and improve school spirit so there is an incentive to donate despite declining customer purchasing power.

Income Differences/Distribution Income distribution disparity refers to the fact that there are gaps between different income brackets in the US, which affects the rise in the overall economy. Alumni associations need to stay in contact with successful alumni who have disposable income, rather than asking alumni who are not as successful after college. Alumni with larger amounts of disposable income are more willing to give larger donations to their alma maters. In the future, alumni associations need to network with more established alumni in order to reach alumni with disposable income who are also willing to donate. The associations should not contact alumni who are not established in their careers, like unemployed alumni who have graduated less than a year ago. This connection will result in more successful alumni who can give back to the university. When alumni associations contact alumni, the alumni will be more willing to donate time and money. Ultimately, this will develop a stronger sense of pride within the universities’ students and alumni. Shifts in Relative Demand for Different Categories of Goods and Services

Alumni associations are competing with fraternities, sororities, organizations on campus, sporting teams, scholarship funds, professional groups, and other alumni groups for

2 http://www.napagroup.com/pdf/Alumni%20Association%20Funding%20Survey.pdf 3 http://seattletimes.com/html/businesstechnology/2021661028_incomerecessionxml.html

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donations. There are many other groups on and off campus that can take alumni’s time and money from alumni associations. In the future, colleges and universities need to initiate and keep strong bonds with alumni while the alumni are still in school. This can be done by emphasizing to alumni the importance of giving back to their communities and schools. It will result in alumni being taken off the call list and giving money to organizations not fully associated with the school endowment fund. Labor Markets and Unemployment Rates

The unemployment rate is the percentage of the workforce that is unemployed but searching for a job. In relation to alumni associations, the significance of the unemployment rate lies in the portion of that percentage that consists of alumni. Alumni are losing their jobs, and alumni associations are not always aware of the employment status of each individual alumnus. National employment rates affect alumni from all schools and can negatively impact donation rates. In the future, alumni associations should generate strong enough ties with alumni to encourage alumni to come back to their alma maters and receive job search assistance. Alumni associations can create these ties by notifying alumni when job fairs and other networking opportunities occur on campus. Alumni associations should also set up a regional database to help link alumni in similar regional networks when a downturn occurs in the economy. If the economy is weak, this can thoroughly affect alumni associations’ donations, because alumni will not donate disposable income if the future does not look promising and alumni associations offer no help. Social

Changes in Social Values and Attitudes

Changes in social values and attitudes are the changes in behavior based on shifts in values and opinions. Alumni associations depend heavily on the opinions and attitudes of donors, because shifts in loyalty affect willingness to donate time and money. People will only become involved in an organization if they feel a connection to that organization. If social values and attitudes shift in favor of college education, it will generate higher loyalty and satisfaction within students. Alumni associations can expect to see an increase in membership if values shift in that direction. The opposite is true—if social values and attitudes shift away from loyalty to people’s alma maters, alumni associations can expect decreased involvement. In order to prepare for these shifts in social values and attitudes, it is imperative that alumni associations remain up-‐to-‐date on the opinions of current and former students. This could be completed through collecting surveys about the level of satisfaction with the alumni association, as well as word of mouth.

Lifestyle Issues

For the purposes of this analysis, lifestyle issues include factors such as stress levels, life activities, and priorities. Lifestyle issues are an important factor to alumni associations, because it is a major determinant in deciding who is able and willing to donate time and money to the organization. If alumni are struggling to provide food, clothing, or shelter for

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themselves or their families, they will be more likely to donate their time, rather than their money, to alumni associations. The reverse is true as well. If alumni are constantly busy with work, family, or other obligations, it is unlikely they will donate their time to alumni associations, but they may be willing to donate their money. In order to prepare for these different lifestyle issues, it is important that alumni associations understand the different lifestyles of various alumni. When alumni associations know this information, it is easier to establish connections and maintain relationships with alumni.

Education

Education refers to the level of schooling a person has received. It can also refer to the result produced by instruction, training, or study.4 Education is imperative to alumni associations, because in order to be a member of an alumni association, the member must have graduated from a university. The associations are comprised of people with a diverse level of education, including bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees. People with multiple degrees from different universities may have to divide their attention between multiple alumni associations. This is where loyalty for the university becomes extremely important. People will most likely donate to the school they feel gave them the best education and put them on the path to success. There are many reasons alumni give back to their schools—to show appreciation for the education and development the school provided them, to provide others with similar experiences, to stay connected to the college community, and to reap the social and emotional benefits associated with being donors.5 People attend college to receive an education, life skills, and preparation for the future, so it is important that these basic needs are met by colleges. These individuals are more likely to be involved in alumni associations if they feel they had a great college experience and are leaving with an excellent education. They will have more loyalty for the school, and therefore, they will be more likely to give back by donating time and money to alumni associations.

Demographics: Age, Marital Status and, Income Levels

Demographics include factors of alumni, such as marital status and income level, that effect alumni involvement in alumni associations. These factors impact involvement in alumni associations. Lower income levels limit the resources available to donate. In an in-‐depth survey, one alumnus said that he anticipates being more involved once he is married and has a family, indicating that marital status also impacts involvement. Lower income levels and a “single” marital status are likely to decrease involvement in alumni associations. Since the 1970s, the percentage of those never married has been steadily increasing, while the marriage rate has been decreasing. However, the rate has consistently been 51 percent since 20106, and it is expected to increase in the near future because of economic growth.7 The age of first marriage has also increased. Like marriage rates, pay increases have been

4 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/education?s=t 5 https://www.alumnifactor.com/node/5854 6 http://www.pewresearch.org/data-‐trend/society-‐and-‐demographics/marriage/ 7 http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/06/17/marriage-‐trends-‐demographics/2424641/

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consistent recently. During 2014, base pay increases will be at 3 percent for the second year in a row. This is one point below pre-‐recession levels.8 These demographics have the ability to both positively and negatively influence alumni associations. The pay increases signify that employed alumni will likely have the resources to donate to these associations. With the predicted increase in marriage rates, more couples who are ready to settle down will increase their involvement in alumni associations. However, the raising marriage age indicates that encouraging the involvement of recent graduates will be increasingly difficult.

Psychographic Trends

Psychographics is the study of values, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles. Psychographic factors are called IAO variables, because the factors are variables related to interests, activities, and opinions. Individuals’ values and interests influence where they are willing to donate their time and money. During the Great Recession, people valued saving money. Savings doubled from 3 percent to 6 percent during the recession, but by November 2013, savings had decreased to 4 percent while spending increased. The savings rate is expected to go back to pre-‐recession levels.9 Alumni associations will benefit from the increased spending and decreased savings, since alumni may consider donating some of the resources that previously would have been saved. To increase incoming donations, the associations will have to provide a service that alumni will find useful and then successfully communicate these benefits. Population Trends

Population trends may impact involvement in alumni associations. In the United States, there was a decrease in birth rates temporarily because of the recession, but the population is expected to grow because of birth rates and immigration.10 From 2000 to 2010, the percentage of 18 to 24-‐year-‐olds increased 12 percent, and the percentage of this group enrolled in college increased by 6 percent.11 In addition, the elderly population will double between 2005 and 2050. In that timeframe, the Latino population will triple and whites will be the minority by 2050.12 The trend seems to be evidence of a greater number of college-‐age individuals and increased enrollment in the future. Much of the new growth in enrollment will most likely include a greater number of non-‐white students due to immigration. With higher enrollment, alumni associations will have to reconsider communication strategies. Older alumni tend to be most actively involved, so the increase in elderly population will increase alumni involvement. Alumni associations must establish the best methods to attract the alumni that are more likely to be engaged. The associations must also address communication with increased enrollment. Higher enrollment does not 8 https://www.shrm.org/hrdisciplines/compensation/articles/pages/2014-salary-increases-flat.aspx?homepage=mpc?homepage%3Dmpc 9 http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/a-familiar-economic-trend-in-america-spending-up-saving-down/2013/12/26/c916c814-6e72-11e3-a523-fe73f0ff6b8d_story.html 10 http://www.prb.org/Publications/Datasheets/2012/world-population-data-sheet/fact-sheet-world-population.aspx 11 http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=98 12 http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2008/02/11/us-population-projections-2005-2050/

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necessarily equate to a greater percentage of engaged alumni. In fact, it may be more difficult to reach a larger number of alumni, so communication will be vital in improving alumni engagement with an increase in the number of alumni. One final issue the associations have to address is a strategy for dealing with diversity. Creating affinity groups within alumni associations is one possible solution. In the future, it will be especially important to increase engagement of diverse alumni to adjust to the population change. Technological

Current State-‐of-‐the-‐Art and Anticipated Changes

Social media technology is constantly changing the methods of communication. New ways to communicate and network are emerging, and alumni are going to be using both new and old technologies. Alumni associations will need to remain on top of the social media platform to have the widest coverage and communicate with the most alumni. Alumni associations need to maintain old social media platforms, which some alumni may still use, while adapting to new platforms to reach out to the more technology-‐savvy alumni. The alumni associations that have easily accessible information, publicity, and outlets for the alumni will be the most successful. With the current and emerging social media platforms and websites, alumni associations will have the chance to connect with more alumni. More opportunities for alumni to connect with their alumni associations create a greater chance to gain more members.

New Products or Services That Will Become Technologically Feasible

Alumni associations will have to manage state-‐of-‐the-‐art technologies. The most common are social media outlets, such as mobile applications and websites. When new social websites and apps become available, people begin to use these at different levels of activity. For example, MySpace once was the superior form of social media online. However, Facebook made a massive change in how people connected by allowing users to determine which direction the website would take. This drew users away from MySpace and onto Facebook.13 These shifts in social media usage will continue to occur. The social media environment is constantly changing. Established social media names and new small developers are creating new applications, websites, and technology ideas every day. Currently, Facebook is still one of the biggest social media sites with 128 million unique users each month—on the website alone—but other outlets of social communication like Google+ and Twitter still have dedicated users.14 New ways to communicate are also emerging. Examples include live streaming events on websites like Twitch.com, video chats, and conferences using programs like Skype. Alumni associations need to know the value of creating and maintaining social media accounts, because it allows users to easily access information and gains publicity for the associations. As the main social media 13http://www.forbes.com/sites/adamhartung/2011/01/14/why-‐facebook-‐beat-‐myspace/ 14 http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/02/19/the-‐loyal-‐users-‐of-‐google-‐plus-‐say-‐it-‐is-‐no-‐ghost-‐town/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

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websites change, the alumni centers will need to adapt to maintain visibility and connectivity to alumni.

Industry Environment

Power of Funders/Donors The primary funders and donors are the alumni themselves, along with university budgetary funding. Leverage Leverage refers to the amount of pressure a funder/donor can exert on a provider. The greater the funder/donor’s leverage, the more the funder/donor will exert pressure on the provider. The amount of funder/donor leverage is a function of the following underlying structural determinants: Funder/Donor Concentration Versus Provider Concentration

If there are fewer funder/donors than there are providers, and if these funder/donors are highly concentrated, then funder/donors will have leverage, since the providers are more dependent on the funder/donors for revenues and income. The providers are alumni associations, and the primary donors/funders are alumni who donate time, money, or other resources to the associations. This is an important issue for alumni associations, because the number of donors is essential. The fewer the number of donors, the more leverage each donor has in relation to the respective association. If there are many donors, then each donor will have less leverage on the alumni associations’ decisions. In addition, graduates have only one option for providers if they choose to become involved in alumni associations. Unless there is an increase in enrollment in graduate schools—giving alumni opportunities for involvement in multiple alumni associations—alumni will continue to have one option for involvement in alumni associations. This will increase opportunities for alumni associations. An increase in donor concentration will positively affect alumni associations, because it will increase the leverage associations have in allocating resources and decrease the amount of leverage each donor has. The small provider concentration in respect to donor concentration indicates that alumni will be able to exert only minimal pressure on alumni associations.

Funder/Donor Volume

If the funder/donor provides revenue in large volumes, greater leverage will exist for the funder/donor as the volume of revenue can be used to negotiate considerations. For the purposes of this assignment, the donor volume refers to the number of donors willing to donate their time and money, as well as the quantity of time and money that will be donated. If the donor provides revenue in large volumes, the volume of revenue can be used as leverage. This means that alumni who donate money or time in large quantities will

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have greater leverage in the decisions the alumni associations make. For example, an alum who donates 50 million dollars to help fund a new building on campus is going to have leverage in how the financial resources are allocated. The issue of donor volume is important, because a person who donates—but does not feel valued by an alumni association—will most likely not be motivated to donate to the association again. When the alumni feel valued, it increases their leverage. This is beneficial for alumni associations, because increased leverage of alumni is typically associated with increased involvement. If the alumni association allows the donors to have more leverage, it will increase the overall opportunity for the industry. The donors will feel that their donations of time and money are valued, and they will be more likely to donate again the future. Allowing the donors to have more leverage will positively impact the industry through word of mouth. If donors feel valued by the associations, they may feel the need to share loyalty with other alumni. This will create college environments where alumni are willing to give back to their alma maters.

Funder/Donor Information

Funder/donor information refers to the amount of information or knowledge a funder/donor has about a provider’s processes, products, and costs. If funder/donors have a high level of information and knowledge, they can use this as leverage. Alumni have a high level of information available to them because of the ability to find information on the websites of alumni associations. This gives them potential leverage. Alumni decide whether or not they donate based on the belief that their donations will be used wisely. The website of an alumni association includes the mission, vision, and values of the organization, as well as various events. If the alumni agree with the values and believe that the events are worthwhile, they will be willing to donate their time and money. If the alumni do not agree and find the events unworthy of their time, they choose not to donate. These acts alone exert pressure on the alumni associations. Although the alumni do not directly choose how the money is spent, the officers and directors must work to keep the alumni satisfied with the direction of the association. The increasing prevalence of social media will only continue to expand, which will increase the leverage of the alumni. This will increase opportunities for alumni associations. The alumni have leverage in terms of information that can be found on the associations’ websites. However, alumni associations aim to receive the involvement of alumni, so it is beneficial that the alumni have leverage. It ensures that the alumni associations listen to the alumni’s needs and stay current. Because the information available to alumni is so important, alumni associations have to be proactive in relation to social media. A lack of a social media presence or information available will decrease involvement, so communication through social media is critical.

Cost Sensitivity Cost sensitivity is the extent to which the funder/donor is receptive to or open and amenable to paying premiums for specific services. The more cost sensitive the funder/donor, the greater resistance there will be to paying premiums for the service. Cost sensitivity is affected by the following structural determinants:

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Cost/Total Funding/Donations

If the cost of the service represents a significant percentage of the funder/donor’s total distribution, the funder/donor will tend to be more cost sensitive due to the impact on the funder/donor’s resources. The donations to alumni associations come from the alumni through annual dues, individual major gift donations, and the university budget. The amount of individual dues tends to be rather small, so alumni will not be as cost sensitive, since the annual dues represent a relatively small percentage of their total expenditures. Individual donors making major gifts, however, will be more sensitive and will be likely to have various stipulations that must be met. In the future, alumni dues will likely stay low, and major gifts will continue to require significant cultivation. This will tend to decrease the overall opportunity for alumni associations, as the margins between costs and funding will be diminished. Alumni associations will need to consider new forms of engagement that have lower costs than traditional models to increase engagement. Also, associations should determine the cost sensitivities to ensure that the maximum revenues are generated from dues and related fees.

Service Differences

If there are meaningful differences in the services that a firm provides, this differentiates the service from competitors in the service area and can be a means of establishing a differential or premium based on the service differences. The alumni associations have traditionally existed to provide services to graduates that allow the students to remain connected to classmates and campus after graduation. Service offerings from alumni associations have remained fairly consistent in recent years. However, because of changing perceptions, over-‐saturated job-‐markets—and consequently—diminishing returns on investment for college graduates, the services and opportunities offered by alumni associations are not meeting the demands of younger graduates. In addition to viewing universities as generally wealthy, younger graduates feel that they have paid for the value they received and are less inclined to contribute more money to universities. In the future, demand for differentiation of alumni services will increase as the job-‐market becomes increasingly saturated with college graduates. College degrees will become commoditized, and the price of college tuition continues to rise. This will decrease opportunities for alumni associations. As degrees become less valuable, and more costly, alumni associations will need to consider new opportunities for alumni that will make the graduates more competitive in the job market. Without these differentiated services, students will see little value in participation in alumni associations.

Brand Identity

If firms can create or establish brand identity or preferences in the mind of the funder/donor, cost sensitivity can be reduced. The funder/donor is willing to pay more of a premium to the branded service. Increasingly, younger graduates have begun to view

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universities as businesses, which has affected their views of the respective alumni associations’ brands. The brand identities of alumni associations have been eroded over the years as opinions of universities has decreased. Graduates perceive universities as wealthy businesses and feel undervalued as customers. This brand identity has diminished the willingness of donors to pay premiums for any type of service offered by alumni associations. In the future, brand identities will continue to erode as tuition increases and students see less return from universities on their investments. Students will increasingly see the university as a corporate machine rather than an institution that is primarily concerned with providing value to students. Consequently, they will be increasingly disinclined to give monetarily to a business that they perceive to provide benefits. This will decrease opportunities for alumni associations. The associations must find new and more effective ways to communicate value to students—methods that provide value greater than the cost of that has already been paid—or brand identity will become increasingly negative leading to further shrinkage in involvement.

Impact On Quality/Performance

If the particular service has a significant effect on the quality and/or performance of the funder/donor’s desired outcomes, the funder/donor will tend to be less cost sensitive. The ability of universities and alumni associations to affect the success of students in the job market directly affects the students’ willingness to give donations in the future. The marginal value students receive from a college education is shrinking compared to the cost to attend a four-‐year university. This is because competition in the job market is increasing at a greater rate than the quality of services to assist graduates in job placement. In addition, the market is becoming increasingly saturated with professional services comparable to those offered by alumni centers, and these services are often free. Perceptions of the quality of alumni associations decrease when alumni fail to receive the return on investment from their education or they find more value in services from other organizations. Because competition in the job market is expected to increase and the value of a degree from a four-‐year university is expected to decrease, the perceptions of quality of education and related services will decrease. This will decrease opportunities for alumni associations. The associations must begin to offer new services and communicate the higher quality of services to retain a perception of quality from donors. In summary, funders/donors of alumni associations will have substantial leverage over providers, and will be fairly cost sensitive. Service Provider Power If service providers have significant bargaining power, the service can have limited opportunity as service providers will bid up the cost for the products of services these firms provide and thereby diminish the opportunity available to firms that compete in the service area. Differentiation of Inputs

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Differentiation of inputs refers to the ability of suppliers to differentiate the inputs provided, either in terms of materials, components, services, etc. If suppliers provide differentiated inputs, industry profitability can be eroded as firms must pay the price premiums demanded by the suppliers of the differentiated products or services. In relation to differentiation of inputs, alumni associations have limited power over alumni. Alumni associations receive networking references, donations, and time from alumni. Alumnifactor.com reports that alumni donate based on perceived benefits of intellectual growth and networking with other alumni.15 Alumni associations are only limited in growth and networking. Without the universities to host these events, the associations would not be able to “sell” their time and networking potential. However, as social media, networking, and online education increase, the power alumni associations hold over these issues will diminish. With the expansion of technology, alumni will be less compelled to attend these formal events if they can receive comparable services at home. This will decrease opportunities in the future. Alumni associations will have that advantage of hosting in-‐person events, but the scope will be diminished with advances in technology and the option to use social media. Presence Of Substitute Inputs

To the extent that there are services that can substitute for the service provider’s (these are referred to as “close substitutes”), service provider bargaining power is reduced—service providers can only price up to the point where the firm will shift to the substitute. Alumni associations can use different venues and/or specialty services to provide information and events that give value to members. In mailing/print services, alumni associations have a variety of vendors available for use that can produce pamphlets, newsletters, etc. Because of this, the associations can obtain the lowest possible prices. When hosting event in regional events, the alumni associations have a variety of options of venues for the events. With the variety of options available, alumni associations can choose the best vendors for venues or publication providers in the future. As there are a large number of substitutes, this will increase the overall bargaining power of alumni associations. This will allow alumni associations to operate optimally.

Cost Relative To Total Purchases In The Industry

If the cost of the supplier’s products and/or services represents a significant percentage of the industry’s total purchases, buyers will tend to be more price sensitive due to the impact on the buyer’s cost structure and financial performance, and will seek to bid down the prices of the supplier’s products and services. Donations to alumni associations are declining. As alumni donations decline the schools’ abilities to finance alumni events are diminished. A Bloomberg article reported that giving to higher education is directly correlated to changes in the stock market.16 This correlation means that alumni are very 15 https://www.alumnifactor.com/node/5854 16 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-‐02-‐20/college-‐donations-‐slowed-‐in-‐2012-‐as-‐alumni-‐giving-‐dropped.html

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price sensitive when donating to alumni associations. If the stock market is not doing well, donations will drop and lead to tighter budgets for alumni associations. This will decrease opportunities in bad economic times and increase opportunities in good times. If the economy is not doing well, then these associations should look for other events and activities rather than solicit for donations.

Overall, bargaining power of service providers of alumni associations will be relatively low. Threat of Substitution The threat of substitution refers to the ability of buyers to substitute an alternative product or service for those provided by firms in the target industry. If an industry faces close substitutes, this places a constraint on pricing and profitability, since firms can only set prices so high before the buyer switches to the substitute. It is necessary to remember to separate substitution, which refers to an alternative product or service outside the scope of the current industry versus rivalry, the competition among firms within an industry. Relative Price/Performance of Substitutes

If the relative price/performance or value equation of the substitute products/services are close to or similar to that of the industry’s products and/or services, there will be limitations on the ability to price and industry profitability. The threat of substitution is greater when there is similarity in performance and price between the industry’s products/services and those of the substitute. There are a variety of other professional organizations such a fraternities, professional organizations, etc., that compete for time and money of alumni. This means that alumni have a variety of organizations where they can volunteer their time and money. These organizations offer similar values in terms of networking opportunities, leadership development, and self-‐fulfillment. Alumni associations need to create unique opportunities—such as networking events and mentoring programs—in order capture the unique value proposition that alumni associations holds. This will increase the opportunities of alumni associations in the future. Alumni associations will be forced to compete by offering more unique events. Switching Costs Switching costs in this case refer to the costs associated with switching from one product or service to the substitute. If the costs associated with switching to the substitute are high, this will lower the likelihood of using the substitute and will decrease the threat of substitution, thus supporting industry profitability. “Switching costs” refer to the costs associated with alumni choosing to switch their involvement to other professional organizations. Alumni associations fall into one category of professional organizations that alumni can choose. Typically, a person is actively involved in two to three organizations at a time. Switching focus generally requires sacrificing involvement in one organization for another. A study conducted by the Napa Group reported that nearly 80 percent of alumni

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stated that time is a major constraint for being involved in alumni associations. 17 This indicates that individuals will be less likely to be actively engaged in alumni associations if they are already active in other professional organizations. This is because they would have leave or decrease involvement in current groups in order to become more involved in alumni associations. This can decrease the overall opportunity in this sector. Alumni associations will have more difficulty actively engaging alumni if the alumni are already heavily involved in other organizations. The challenge to alumni associations is engaging alumni in the early post-‐graduation stage in order to get them actively involved before they join other professional organizations. Buyers’ Propensity to Substitute

Propensity to substitute is the buyer’s tendency or proclivity to use the substitute product. This may involve many intangible as well and tangible factors, such as perceptions, ease of use, etc. If the buyer’s propensity to substitute is high, this increases the threat of substitution and lowers the overall profitability of an industry. The propensity to substitute refers to a person’s tendency to use substitute programs or services of alumni associations. As the associations’ offerings can be found elsewhere, people have a variety of options when looking to be involved. People’s propensity to substitute is low due to the generally high switching costs and the relative performance of substitute services. Generally, people are not going to switch their involvement from professional organizations to alumni associations if they are already involved in other organizations. This will decrease the overall opportunity of alumni associations to get alumni actively involved. To counter this, alumni associations should work to increase engagement among people in their early years of post-‐graduation in order to get people involved before they join other organizations.

17 http://www.napagroup.com/pdf/CASE_SUMMIT_2010.pdf

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Organizational Analysis Key Internal Factors: Potential Strengths and Weaknesses

Marketing Firm’s Products/Services and Breadth of Product Line

The BUAA offers a narrow range of services, and the main service is providing a connection between current and former Bradley students. Having one main objective is beneficial, because it allows the BUAA to concentrate efforts to one area. When an association has too many goals and objectives, resources become too thinly spread and each goal is less attainable. The BUAA must make current students and alumni aware of the goals of the association to increase understanding of the purpose of the BUAA. This will increase involvement and develop connections between students and alumni. Ability to Gather Needed Information About Markets

Currently, the BUAA has large database of demographic and contact information of alumni. The association regularly reaches out to graduates in order to maintain current information. This large database is an effective asset in allowing the BUAA to gather information. Where many organizations would need to expend resources to create avenues for feedback, the BUAA already maintains regular contact with the entire market. The BUAA should leverage this strength by using this database to release regular surveys and receive feedback from alumni on attitudes and perceptions. The BUAA can also use points of contact for database maintenance as opportunities to poll graduates. By doing this, the association will receive regular feedback and be better able to inform alumni of the operations of the BUAA. Product/service Mix and Expansion Potential

The BUAA does not have the power to expand services offered to alumni, because the services are so limited. However, it could expand services offered to current students. It would be beneficial to expand resources to help reach current students, because they will become alumni—typically within a minimum of four years—and alumni are the main focus of the BUAA. The BUAA could reach current students by making events known to the student body. The association should also create events that are helpful to current students to encourage involvement early in their college career. Current students conduct job searches, so one of the best ways the BUAA can serve current students would be to create more publicized networking events with alumni.

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Effective Sales Organization and Knowledge of Customer Need

Bradley alumni will only invest time where they see value, so the BUAA must understand the changing needs of alumni. Currently, the BUAA has conducted little research and has failed to maintain current information about the changing tastes and attitudes of Bradley graduates. This lack of knowledge has been a limitation in effectively connecting and engaging young graduates to encourage active involvement. Because decisions have not been made with proper market information, the BUAA has not been able to effectively meet the needs of the target market. This is why the BUAA has seen a trend of decreased involvement of new graduates. Perceptions and needs can change very quickly, so the BUAA should consider creating avenues to receive regular and consistent feedback. Sending out market surveys at least once a year would create a good base of information. With the feedback, the BUAA can make more informed decisions that meet the needs of alumni. Product/Service Image, Reputation, and Quality

While older alumni are brand loyal, a growing trend among current and former university students—including those from Bradley University—is that the students and alumni perceive their universities to be corporate vehicles. Coupled with an increasingly competitive job market, this has affected the image and quality of the BUAA’s offerings. Because younger graduates believe there is less value in higher education compared to the increased difficulty in job acquisition, they feel that involvement and giving is completed upon graduation. This has resulted in low involvement with the BUAA and other professional organizations. However, involvement in these groups may increase the standard of living of young alumni. One possible solution for addressing this perception is to offer career-‐oriented events and activities. Young alumni will desire to be involved in organizations that add value to their goals and ambitions. Opportunities given by the BUAA that create value and make alumni more competitive professionals will be very effective. Imaginative, Efficient, and Effective Sales Promotion and Advertising

The BUAA’s main form of contact is through regular phone calls and newsletters, but there is a limited social media presence to balance out the traditional modes communication. Increasingly, young adults spend more time using non-‐traditional means of communication and less time using traditional methods. While the BUAA is effective in reaching older demographics, the association has had little success in maintaining contact with young alumni. This creates a poor outlook for future involvement. The BUAA can address this weakness by increasing the social media presence. Young alumni typically communicate through digital means, so the BUAA can promote events more effectively through social media.

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Procedures for Digesting Market Feedback and Developing New Products, Services, or Markets

The BUAA has not maintained research on market perceptions, so there is no feedback available to use to adapt strategies for changes in the market. This results in low involvement, as the BUAA is incapable of meeting the needs of alumni. The BUAA must begin to proactively generate feedback from alumni of various demographics. Then, the BUAA can begin to organize events and make decisions through this feedback to create effective service offerings. After-‐Sale Service and Follow Up

After Bradley students graduate and join the BUAA, it is important that the BUAA keeps in touch with the alumni so they feel involved in the association’s decisions. Alumni believe that the BUAA is capable of maintaining contact, but only does so to collect donations. To change this perception, the BUAA should contact alumni with campus updates, not only for donations. Contacting current students is important, because they will be more inclined to donate if they feel that Bradley has given back to them over the course of their college career. In order to improve the follow up calls and emails to alumni, alumni must have loyalty towards the university before contact is made. Loyalty should be instilled as students begin their Bradley careers, rather than attempting to create loyalty after graduation. Goodwill/Brand Loyalty

While older graduates feel more loyal to the Bradley University brand, young alumni are losing brand loyalty. Young alumni feel less value for their education because of job search difficulty. Because young alumni have less brand loyalty, they have little desire to be connected to Bradley University through the BUAA. This is a weakness for the BUAA, because the sole purpose is to connect to alumni. This can be addressed by creating increased value for students after graduation. The more the alumni feel strengthened and equipped for post-‐graduation life, the more loyalty they will have. An increase in loyalty can be accomplished through new events that meet this need. Offering career assistance, mentoring, and networking opportunities are all possibilities to increase loyalty and involvement. Product/Operations/Technical Research and Development/Technology/Innovation

The Marketing & Communication Committee leads development and implementation of social media and other technologies used by the BUAA. The members of the board are technically inclined and typically have careers involving marketing and technology. The high level of experience results in a knowledgeable board. By having a committee designated with the implementation of social media practices, it allows for a greater visibility of the alumni association to current students and alumni. The board should

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recruit social media professionals to work on marketing in the various committees. By doing so, the board will be able to adapt to emerging technologies and trending modes of communication used by alumni.

Personnel Management Personnel

The management personnel consist of the employees that oversee the BUAA to keep the focus on objectives and initiatives. This group is located on Bradley’s campus, so management acts as a liaison between the university top officials and the BUAA. The management personnel have high turnover and a lack of experience. Right now, management is attempting to fill the most important position—executive director. This position is highly paid but difficult to fill, and it is very important in developing connections with the BUAA. Ultimately, there is a disconnect between the BUAA management and low-‐level employees. The management personnel should develop more one-‐on-‐one meetings with staff members to develop stronger relationships. This would create value and lower the turnover of staff. Employees’ Skill and Morale In terms of morale and skill of the BUAA board, members are highly skilled, motivated, and experienced. The morale is high; the devoted alumni on the board give up time in their busy lives to meet at least three times a year in Peoria to review strategic initiatives for the improvement of the BUAA. They are highly skilled businesses professionals with many years of experience in their respective industries. These members would not be selected if they were not successful after their time at Bradley. The BUAA should have more interactions with the students and student body organizations to better understand the Bradley University experience. The university has changed drastically, so the association needs more initiatives to understand and improve relationships with students. The morale of the BUAA can increase with better educational quality and experiences, resulting in prouder alumni. Efficient and Effective Personnel Policies

The personnel policies are efficient, effective, and have checks and balances in place. The voting policies seem fair, as the policies require a democratic vote to ensure impartiality. The policies also show accountability in execution of strategic plans and committees. Members and staff follow the policies, and the system is fair and effective while also enabling efficient meetings. A possible improvement is to adjust the president’s term. The president should have a term longer than one year, because one year is not enough time to establish leadership capabilities and accomplish tasks. The president should have a two-‐year term with the possibility of re-‐election. This would also extend the terms and duties of the president-‐elect, but this would make the president-‐elect more prepared for the significant duties undertaken as president.

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Specialized Skills There are no specialized skills the BUAA looks for when selecting potential board members. The Nominating Committee is given names by the alumni staff, which develops a list of nominees based on names from the development office, faculty, and other alumni. Then the Nominating Committee—made up of the past five presidents of the BUAA—goes through the nominees’ biographies and makes selections based on graduation decade, college of study, geographic representation, and the number of openings. To improve the process, the BUAA should look for specific candidates based on needs of the association. For example, board members could look for alumni with a background in information systems to help fix the BUAA’s website, provided that the alumni have the correct graduation decade, college of study, geographic location, and experience. Experience

The BUAA board members are experienced professionals. The members’ years of experience range from about five years to over forty years of experience. Even the less experienced members are still highly qualified and successful in the beginnings of their careers. If members have more experience in committees, participation in the BUAA may lead to a position as president, and possibly a position as director or spot in the Board of Trustees in the future. The process is rigorous, and most members stay on the BUAA board long-‐term because of the strong ties and passion for Bradley. Ultimately, the experience is only one factor for board success, because the BUAA needs passionate alumni who want to give back to the university. The experience of members should be valuable to the BUAA, because experienced members will better be able to gain connections, think strategically, and help market the university. For example, a multimedia major on the board would help create videos advertising the benefits of joining the BUAA. Total experience of the members on one committee should not outweigh members’ experience of another committee. When nominating members to higher positions, all members’ and committees’ experience should be treated equally. Organization of General Management Organizational Structure The BUAA is comprised of all graduates from Bradley University. The BUAA is led by a board of directors, and the board’s primary responsibility is supporting the mission and vision of BUAA. The board consists of the officers, the Executive Director of Alumni Relations, one alumni trustee, and 18 directors at large. The board has three committees for general management—Executive, Leadership, and Nominating—and four standing committees for strategic development—Alumni Engagement, Professional Development, Marketing & Communication, and Student Engagement. All BUAA board members are required to serve on a standing committee. The board structure is effective due to the diversity of members and small committee sizes. With four to five board members per committee, discussions can be focused and productive in prioritizing events and assigning responsibilities. The 18-‐member board is effective, because it allows for a discussion with

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diverse perspectives of BUAA issues and strategies. In order to hold committees responsible, the board should expand the duties of committees and individual responsibilities of directors. Firm’s Image and Prestige

Current students and alumni have a low awareness of the BUAA. The association creates opportunities for students and alumni to connect, but these events are poorly advertised. Current and former students are either unaware of the existence of the BUAA, or they are aware but do not utilize the services offered. Recent alumni believe that they are only contacted when the BUAA is soliciting donations. This perception creates a wall between alumni and the alumni association, resulting in an overall negative view of the BUAA. The association’s image is a limitation, since alumni and student perceptions of the BUAA are directly related to involvement after graduation. In order to combat this poor image, the board needs to reevaluate the current strategy in promoting the offerings of the alumni association.

Firm’s Record for Achieving Objectives

Keeping up-‐to-‐date records of the BUAA’s goals and objectives is important to ensure success in achieving these objectives. When records are organized and up-‐to-‐date, it allows the association to run efficiently and effectively. The association currently keeps records through the Office of Alumni Relations. The method of record keeping is a strength of the BUAA, and it is important that these qualities continue to be valued by the association. Organization of Communication System

The BUAA is organized into six committees, with the Executive Committee as the lead committee. The Executive Committee meets every four months. At these meetings, all committees discuss the goals and operations of the BUAA. All committee chairs conduct a monthly conference call to communicate progress of goals that are set the board retreat in August. The conference call is an opportunity for committee chairs to work together and provide suggestions for one another. Outside of the calls, the communication structure is informal. The overall structure is effective, because it allows members to stay well-‐informed. Organizational Climate and Culture

Organizational culture is important in the running of the BUAA, but the culture is constantly evolving. When the alumni association began, it served as a celebratory panel. Now, there is a shift towards networking and engaging alumni. This shift has a positive impact on the organization. As the BUAA culture shifts, the association develops a new purpose and objectives. The current purpose is to serve alumni and current students by connecting them through networking. This allows current students to learn from their successful predecessors. As the alumni association evolves, it should continue to emphasize changes in culture that match changing needs of alumni. This creates loyalty to the BUAA

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and encourages involvement, which is the primary goal the association is striving to accomplish. Use of Systematic Procedures and Techniques in Decision Making With the committee layout and BUAA structure, most of the decision making is finalized at meetings once every four months. With the combined knowledge and experience of the board members, all members agree and have the same degree of visibility when making decisions. One limitation of this large group meeting is the time it takes to vote on changes. With the board making decisions at a small number of meetings, there is always a rigorous meeting schedule with limited time. Individual committees should have the ability to vote on new policies and practices, which will reduce the meeting times of the large group meetings and result in quicker decision making.

Top-‐Management Skill, Capabilities and Interest

Currently, the executive director position for the alumni development office is vacant. As such, we cannot evaluate the position at this time. Ideally, the executive director should serve as a liaison between the Office of Alumni Relations and the BUAA Board of Directors. The director should communicate objectives and inform the board of all relevant activities and plans.

Strategic Planning System The BUAA operates on five-‐year strategic planning cycles, during which the members create the new mission and vision statements to guide the overall strategy. The responsibilities of implementing the strategic goals fall to the four standing committees; it is the responsibility of each respective committee to ensure the implementation and development of assigned programs and offerings. Each committee meets monthly—via-‐conference call—to discuss specific assignments. This system is effective, because the individual committees have freedom in planning and allocating resources. This allows the committees to respond quickly to changing situations and emerging technology when implementing the long-‐term, five-‐year goals. However, this committee structure could be improved with the additions of measurable goals in order to evaluate current success and direction of each committee.

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Survey Results Survey Section 1: Bradley University

Chart #1.1

I consider myself very loyal to Bradley University.

Survey question 1.1 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself very loyal to Bradley University.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 5 out of 279 respondents (1.79%) view their loyalty to Bradley very unfavorably. Eight people (2.87%) view their loyalty to Bradley unfavorably, while 61 respondents (21.86%) are neutral towards their loyalty to Bradley. Ninety seven respondents (34.77%) view their loyalty to Bradley favorably, while 104 people (37.28%) view their loyalty to Bradley very favorably. Four respondents (1.43%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.1.)

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Chart #1.2 I consider the education I received from Bradley University to be highly valuable.

Survey question 1.2 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider the education I received from Bradley University to be highly valuable.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 2 out of 279 respondents (.72%) view the value of their educations at Bradley very unfavorably. Four people (1.43%) view the value of their educations at Bradley unfavorably, while 19 respondents (6.81%) are neutral towards the value of their educations at Bradley. One hundred and eight respondents (38.71%) view the value of their educations at Bradley favorably, while 142 people (50.90%) view the value of their educations at Bradley very favorably. Four respondents (1.43%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.2.)

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Chart #1.3 I consider myself to be proud of the educational caliber of Bradley University.

Survey question 1.3 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be proud of the educational caliber of Bradley University.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 0 out of 279 respondents (0%) view the educational caliber at Bradley very unfavorably. Four people (1.43%) view the educational caliber at Bradley unfavorably, while 27 respondents (9.68%) are neutral towards the educational caliber at Bradley. One hundred and five respondents (37.63%) view the educational caliber at Bradley favorably, while 139 people (49.82%) view the educational caliber at Bradley very favorably. Four respondents (1.43%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.3.)

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Chart #1.4 I feel a sense of significance as a Bradley University alum.

Survey question 1.4 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I feel a sense of significance as a Bradley University alum.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 9 out of 279 respondents (3.23%) view their significance as Bradley alumni very unfavorably. Nineteen people (6.81%) view their significance as Bradley alumni unfavorably, while 93 respondents (33.33%) are neutral towards their significance as Bradley alumni. Eighty eight respondents (31.54%) view their significance as Bradley alumni favorably, while 65 people (23.30%) view their significance as Bradley alumni very favorably. Five respondents (1.79%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.4.)

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Chart #1.5 I consider myself to be very involved with the BUAA.

Survey question 1.5 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be very involved with the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “not involved,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “rarely involved,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “involved,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very involved.” The results indicated that 113 out of 279 respondents (40.50%) are not involved. Seventy nine people (28.32%) are rarely involved, while 54 respondents (19.35%) are occasionally involved. Ten respondents (3.58%) are involved, while 5 people (1.79%) are very involved. Eighteen respondents (6.45%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.5.)

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Chart #1.6 I consider myself to be very involved in some other non-mandatory professional organization or affinity

group.

Survey question 1.6 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be very involved in some other non-‐mandatory professional organization or affinity group.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “not involved,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “rarely involved,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “involved,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very involved.” The results indicated that 66 out of 279 respondents (23.66%) are not involved. Forty nine (17.56%) are not involved, while 64 respondents (22.94%) are occasionally involved. Thirty nine respondents (13.98%) are involved, while 48 people (17.20%) are very involved. Thirteen respondents (4.66%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.6.)

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Chart #1.7 I consider my life post-graduation to be successful.

Survey question 1.7 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider my life post-‐graduation to be successful.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 3 out of 279 respondents (1.08%) view their post-‐graduation success very unfavorably. Four people (1.43%) view their post-‐graduation success unfavorably, while 24 respondents (8.60%) are neutral towards their post-‐graduation success. Ninety nine respondents (35.48%) view their post-‐graduation success favorably, while 144 people (51.61%) view their post-‐graduation success very favorably. Five respondents (1.79%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.7.)

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Chart #1.8 I consider quality of education one of Bradley’s greatest assets.

Survey question 1.8 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider quality of education one of Bradley’s greatest assets.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 1 out of 279 respondents (0.36%) view the quality of education very unfavorably. Three people (1.08%) view the quality of education unfavorably, while 42 respondents (15.05%) are neutral towards the quality of education. One hundred and eleven respondents (39.78%) view the quality of education favorably, while 117 people (41.94%) view the quality of education very favorably. Five respondents (1.79%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.8.)

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Chart #1.9 I consider campus life one of Bradley’s greatest assets.

Survey question 1.9 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider campus life one of Bradley’s greatest assets.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 10 out of 279 respondents (3.58%) view campus life very unfavorably. Thirteen people (4.66%) view campus life unfavorably, while 76 respondents (27.24%) are neutral towards campus life. Ninety eight respondents (35.13%) view campus life favorably, while 74 people (26.52%) view campus life very favorably. Eight respondents (2.87%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.9.)

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Chart #1.10 I consider myself to be satisfied with my education from Bradley University.

Survey question 1.10 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be satisfied with my education from Bradley University.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 3 out of 279 respondents (1.08%) view satisfaction with their educations very unfavorably. Five people (1.79%) view satisfaction with their educations unfavorably, while 25 respondents (8.96%) are neutral towards satisfaction with their educations. One hundred and eight respondents (38.71%) view satisfaction with their educations favorably, while 132 people (47.31%) view satisfaction with their educations very favorably. Six respondents (2.15%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.10.)

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Chart #1.11 I consider myself to be connected to Bradley as an alum.

Survey question 1.11 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself to be connected to Bradley as an alum.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 61 out of 279 respondents (21.86%) view their connection to Bradley very unfavorably. Sixty seven people (24.01%) view their connection to Bradley unfavorably, while 80 respondents (28.67%) are neutral towards their connection to Bradley. Forty four respondents (15.77%) view their connection to Bradley favorably, while 21 people (7.53%) view their connection to Bradley very favorably. Six respondents (2.15%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.11.)

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Chart #1.12 I consider a college education to be something that sets me apart in the world.

Survey question 1.12 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider a college education to be something that sets my apart in the world.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “very unfavorable,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “unfavorable,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “favorable,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very favorable.” The results indicated that 3 out of 279 respondents (1.08%) view their college educations very unfavorably. Fifteen people (5.38%) view their college educations unfavorably, while 59 respondents (21.15%) are neutral towards their college educations. One hundred and eleven respondents (39.78%) view their college educations favorably, while 86 people (30.82%) view their college educations very favorably. Five respondents (1.79%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.12.)

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Chart #1.13 I consider college education simply a necessity for employment.

Survey question 1.13 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider a college education simply a necessity for employment.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 15 out of 279 respondents (5.38%) strongly disagree. Eighteen people (6.45%) disagree, while 61 respondents (21.86%) are neutral. Sixty eight respondents (24.37%) agree, while 112 people (40.14%) strongly agree. Five respondents (1.79%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #1.13.)

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Chart #1.14 Summary of Section 1 Responses

Chart 1.14 displays alumni’s opinions of Bradley University and the amount of involvement with the BUAA. The questions were scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). The results show that alumni have overall favorable experiences at Bradley, as most of the mean scores fall in the favorable range—from 7 to 8—on the scale. This shows that alumni view their experiences at Bradley as a major factor in being successful, proud alumni. However, the results are unfavorable in relation to alumni connection with Bradley and the BUAA after graduation. (See Chart #1.14.)

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Survey Section 2: Bradley University Alumni Association

Chart #2.1

I consider myself very knowledgeable about the BUAA.

Survey question 2.1 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I consider myself very knowledgeable about the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 73 out of 260 respondents (28.08 %) strongly disagree. Sixty one people (23.46%) disagree, while 91 respondents (35.00%) are neutral. Twenty four respondents (9.23%) agree, while 4 people (1.54%) strongly agree. Seven respondents (2.69%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.1.)

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Chart #2.2 I am actively involved in the BUAA.

Survey question 2.2 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am actively involved in the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 126 out of 260 respondents (48.46%) strongly disagree. Seventy seven people (29.62%) disagree, while 31 respondents (11.92%) are neutral. Eight respondents (3.08%) agree, while 3 people (1.15%) strongly agree. Fifteen respondents (5.77%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.2.)

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Chart #2.3 I learned about the BUAA during my time at Bradley.

Survey question 2.3 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I learned about the BUAA during my time at Bradley.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 87 out of 260 respondents (33.46%) strongly disagree. Eighty three people (31.92%) disagree, while 49 respondents (18.85%) are neutral. Sixteen respondents (6.15%) agree, while 13 people (5.00%) strongly agree. Twelve respondents (4.62%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.3.)

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Chart #2.4 During my time at Bradley, I looked forward to my involvement in the BUAA.

Survey question 2.4 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “During my time at Bradley, I looked forward to my involvement in the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 108 out of 260 respondents (41.54%) strongly disagree. Seventy five people (28.85%) disagree, while 51 respondents (19.62%) are neutral. Eight respondents (3.08%) agree, while 2 people (0.77%) strongly agree. Sixteen respondents (6.15%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.4.)

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Chart #2.5 I am kept well-informed about the campus as an alum.

Survey question 2.5 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am kept well-‐informed about the campus as an alum.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 30 out of 260 respondents (11.54%) strongly disagree. Twenty nine people (11.15%) disagree, while 82 respondents (31.54%) are neutral. Seventy five respondents (28.85%) agree, while 35 people (13.46%) strongly agree. Nine respondents (3.46%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.5.)

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Chart #2.6 I am well-informed about the events and services offered by the BUAA.

Survey question 2.6 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am well-‐informed about the events and services offered by the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 41 out of 260 respondents (15.77%) strongly disagree. Fifty people (19.23%) disagree, while 86 respondents (33.08%) are neutral. Fifty four respondents (20.77%) agree, while 18 people (6.92%) strongly agree. Eleven respondents (4.23%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.6.)

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Chart #2.7 I regularly attend events offered by the BUAA.

Survey question 2.7 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I regularly attend events offered by the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “never attend,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “rarely attend,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “occasionally attend,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “frequently attend,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “always attend.” The results indicated that 137 out of 260 respondents (52.69%) never attend events offered by the BUAA. Sixty seven people (25.77%) rarely attend, while 27 respondents (10.38%) occasionally attend. Seven respondents (2.69%) frequently attend, while 2 people (1.15%) always attend. Nineteen respondents (7.31%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.7.)

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Chart #2.8 I am aware of the alumni webpage.

Survey question 2.8 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am aware of the alumni webpage.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 47 out of 260 respondents (18.08%) strongly disagree. Fifty one (19.62%) disagree, while 63 respondents (24.23%) are neutral. Forty nine respondents (18.85%) agree, while 34 people (13.08%) strongly agree. Sixteen respondents (6.15%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.8.)

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Chart #2.9 I visit the alumni webpage regularly.

Survey question 2.9 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I visit the alumni webpage regularly.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “never visit,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “rarely visit,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “occasionally visit,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “frequently visit,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “consistently visit.” The results indicated that 130 out of 260 respondents (50.00%) never visit the BUAA webpage. Sixty three people (24.23%) rarely visit the webpage, while 31 respondents (11.92%) occasionally visit the webpage. Thirteen respondents (5.00%) frequently visit the webpage, while 4 people (1.54%) consistently visit the webpage. Nineteen respondents (7.31%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.9.)

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Chart #2.10 I am aware of the BUConnect online service.

Survey question 2.10 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I am aware of the BU-‐Connect online service.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 123 out of 260 respondents (47.31%) strongly disagree. Forty people (15.38%) disagree, while 49 respondents (18.85%) are neutral. Twenty respondents (7.69%) agree, while 12 people (4.62%) strongly agree. Sixteen respondents (6.15%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.10.)

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Chart #2.11 I use the BUConnect online service.

Survey question 2.11 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I use the BU-‐Connect online service.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “never use,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “rarely use,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “occasionally use,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “frequently use,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “consistently use.” The results indicated that 155 out of 260 respondents (59.62%) never use the BUConnect service. Fifty one people (19.62%) rarely use the service, while 18 respondents (6.92%) occasionally use the service. Five respondents (1.92%) frequently use the service, while 4 people (1.54%) consistently use the service. Twenty seven respondents (10.38%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.11.)

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Chart #2.12 I feel valued by the BUAA as an alum.

Survey question 2.12 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I feel valued by the BUAA as an alum.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 65 out of 260 respondents (25.00%) strongly disagree. Forty one people (15.77%) disagree, while 91 respondents (35.00%) are neutral. Thirty six respondents (13.85%) agree, while 13 people (5.00%) strongly agree. Fourteen respondents (5.38%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.12.)

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Chart #2.13 I believe that participation in the BUAA is a valuable use of my time.

Survey question 2.13 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I believe that participation in the BUAA is a valuable use of my time.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “strongly disagree,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “disagree,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “neutral,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “agree,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “strongly agree.” The results indicated that 71 out of 260 respondents (27.31%) strongly disagree. Forty nine people (18.85%) disagree, while 94 respondents (36.15%) are neutral. Fifteen respondents (5.77%) agree, while 9 people (3.46%) strongly agree. Twenty two respondents (8.46%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.13.)

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Chart #2.14 I regularly donate to the BUAA.

Survey question 2.14 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I regularly donate to the BUAA.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “never donate,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “rarely donate,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “occasionally donate,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “frequently donate,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “consistently donate.” The results indicated that 114 out of 260 respondents (43.85%) never donate. Fifty one people (19.62%) rarely donate, while 31 respondents (11.92%) occasionally donate. Seventeen respondents (6.54%) regularly donate, while 22 people (8.46%) consistently donate. Twenty five respondents (9.62%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.14.)

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Chart #2.15 I have been frustrated at some point in the past by phone calls related to giving to Bradley as a graduate.

Survey question 2.15 asked respondents to rate agreement with the statement “I have been frustrated at some point in the past by phone calls related to giving to as a graduate.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “never frustrated,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “rarely frustrated,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “occasionally frustrated,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “frequently frustrated,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “consistently frustrated.” The results indicated that 65 out of 260 respondents (25.00%) are never frustrated by phone calls soliciting Bradley donations. Thirty six people (13.85%) are rarely frustrated, while 58 respondents (22.31%) are occasionally frustrated. Forty five respondents (17.31%) are frequently frustrated, while 38 people (14.62%) are consistently frustrated. Eighteen respondents (6.92%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #2.15.)

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Chart 2.16 display’s alumni’s opinions on involvement in the BUAA and the association’s services. The questions were scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). The results show that alumni have unfavorable experiences with the BUAA, as most of the mean scores fall in the unfavorable range—from 2 to 3—on the scale. The data shows that the BUAA is not marketing the benefits of involvement to alumni. The BUAA’s methods of communication (BUConnect, the alumni webpage, etc.) have low levels of usage. Improvements in marketing and communications will improve perceptions of the BUAA. (See Chart #2.16.)

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Survey Section 3: Potential BUAA Offerings

Chart #3.1 Interest in professional mentoring opportunities between a current student and you as an alum

Survey question 3.1 asked respondents to rate interest in “professional mentoring opportunity between a current student and you as an alum.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 34 out of 235 respondents (14.47%) are uninterested in mentoring opportunities with current students. Thirty four people (14.47%) are somewhat interested, while 74 respondents (31.49%) are moderately interested. Fifty one respondents (21.70%) are interested, while 25 people (10.64%) are very interested. Seventeen respondents (7.23%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.1.)

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Chart #3.2 Interest in sporting events

Survey question 3.2 asked respondents to rate interest in “sporting events.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 18 out of 235 respondents (7.66%) are uninterested in sporting events. Twenty seven people (11.49%) are somewhat interested, while 78 respondents (33.19%) are moderately interested. Fifty eight respondents (24.68%) are interested, while 38 people (16.17%) are very interested. Sixteen respondents (6.81%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.2.)

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Chart #3.3 Interest in professional networking opportunities

Survey question 3.3 asked respondents to rate interest in “professional networking opportunities.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 30 out of 235 respondents (12.77%) are uninterested in networking opportunities. Twenty eight people (11.91%) are somewhat interested, while 78 respondents (33.19%) are moderately interested. Fifty three respondents (22.55%) are interested, while 32 people (13.62%) are very interested. Fourteen respondents (5.96%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.3.)

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Chart #3.4 Interest in alumni singles groups

Survey question 3.4 asked respondents to rate interest in “alumni singles groups.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 123 out of 235 respondents (52.34%) are uninterested in singles groups. Twenty six people (11.06%) are somewhat interested, while 32 respondents (13.62%) are moderately interested. Eighteen respondents (7.66%) are interested, while 6 people (2.55%) are very interested. Thirty respondents (12.77%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.4.)

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Chart #3.5 Interest in free classes and seminars that will make me more competitive in my career

Survey question 3.5 asked respondents to rate interest in “free classes and seminars that will make me more competitive in my career.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 46 out of 235 respondents (19.57%) are uninterested in free classes and seminars. Twenty six people (11.06%) are somewhat interested, while 49 respondents (20.85%) are moderately interested. Fifty one respondents (21.70%) are interested, while 43 people (18.30%) are very interested. Twenty respondents (8.51%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.5.)

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Chart #3.6 Interest in free classes and seminars about current issues and other topics that interest me

Survey question 3.6 asked respondents to rate interest in “free classes and seminars about current issues and other topics that interest me.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 33 out of 235 respondents (14.04%) are uninterested in classes and seminars on current topics. Twenty nine people (12.34%) are somewhat interested, while 54 respondents (22.98%) are moderately interested. Fifty eight respondents (24.68%) are interested, while 45 people (19.15%) are very interested. Sixteen respondents (6.81%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.6.)

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Chart #3.7 Interest in BUAA social media pages

Survey question 3.7 asked respondents to rate interest in “BUAA social media pages.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 86 out of 235 respondents (36.60%) are uninterested in the BUAA’s social media pages. Thirty one people (13.19%) are somewhat interested, while 56 respondents (23.83%) are moderately interested. Thirty three respondents (14.04%) are interested, while 7 people (2.98%) are very interested. Twenty two respondents (9.36%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.7.)

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Chart #3.8 Interest in opportunities to casually spend time with other alumni and their families

Survey question 3.8 asked respondents to rate interest in “opportunities to casually spend time with other alumni and their families.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 48 out of 235 respondents (20.43%) are uninterested in spending time with alumni and their families. Forty people (17.02%) are somewhat interested, while 80 respondents (34.04%) are moderately interested. Thirty six respondents (15.32%) are interested, while 13 people (5.53%) are very interested. Eighteen respondents (7.66%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.8.)

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Chart #3.9 Interest in opportunities to casually spend time with other alumni without their families

Survey question 3.9 asked respondents to rate interest in “opportunities to casually spend time with other alumni, without families.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 44 out of 235 respondents (18.72%) are uninterested in spending time with alumni without their families. Thirty nine people (16.60%) are somewhat interested, while 78 respondents (33.19%) are moderately interested. Thirty eight respondents (16.17%) are interested, while 16 people (6.81%) are very interested. Twenty respondents (8.51%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.9.)

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Chart #3.10 Interest in opportunities to volunteer in the Peoria area with other alumni

Survey question 3.10 asked respondents to rate interest in “opportunities to volunteer in the Peoria area with other alumni.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 117 out of 235 respondents (49.79%) are uninterested in volunteering opportunities with other Peoria-‐based alumni. Thirty people (12.77%) are somewhat interested, while 30 respondents (12.77%) are moderately interested. Twenty five respondents (10.64%) are interested, while 7 people (2.98%) are very interested. Twenty six respondents (11.06%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.10.)

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Chart #3.11 Interest in opportunities through the BUAA to do pro-bono work with a team of other alumni to gain career-

related experience and assist local nonprofits

Survey question 3.11 asked respondents to rate interest in “opportunities through the BUAA to do pro-‐bono work with a team of other alumni, in order to gain career-‐related experience and assist local nonprofits.” This was scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Very Unappealing) to 10 (Very Appealing). For our analysis, scores of 0 to 1 are viewed as “uninterested,” scores from 2 to 3 are viewed as “somewhat interested,” scores of 4 to 6 are viewed as “moderately interested,” scores of 7 to 8 are viewed as “interested,” and scores of 9 to 10 are viewed as “very interested.” The results indicated that 74 out of 235 respondents (31.49%) are uninterested in nonprofit work. Forty one people (17.45%) are somewhat interested, while 53 respondents (22.55%) are moderately interested. Thirty respondents (12.77%) are interested, while 14 people (5.96%) are very interested. Twenty three respondents (9.79%) did not answer the question. (See Chart #3.11.)

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Chart 3.12 displays alumni’s interest in potential BUAA events, which may increase involvement. Respondents were asked to score interest in the events, and the questions were scored on an 11-‐point Likert scale from 0 (Strongly Disagree) to 10 (Strongly Agree). The results show that interest these events fall in the somewhat interested range—from 2 to 3—and the moderately interested range—from 4 to 6. Since opinions of the BUAA are generally unfavorable, alumni do not show high interest in any potential events. The BUAA needs to gain loyalty while alumni are students; this will increase event attendance. In addition, the most desired offerings are events related to professional and career development. To increase involvement, the BUAA should create events that engage students and develop the careers of alumni. (See Chart #3.12.)

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Chart #4 Gender

Survey question 4 asked the respondents to indicate their genders. The options were “male” or “female.” Of the 236 responses, 135 (57.2%) are male, 95 (40.3%) are female, and 6 (2.5%) remain unidentified. (See Chart #4.) Overall, the gender demographics are fairly evenly distributed. However, some gender bias does exist, with a greater percentage of male respondents than female respondents.

3%

57%

40% Missing

Male

Female

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Chart #5 Age

Survey question 5 asked the respondents to indicate their ages. The options were “20 and below,” “21 to 25,” “26 to 30,” “31 to 35,” “36 to 40,” “46 to 50,” “51 to 55,” “56 to 60,” “61 to 65,” and “65 and above.” Of the 236 responses, 4 (1.7%) did not respond, 17 (7.2%) are between 21 and 25 years old, 20 (8.5%) are between 26 and 30 years old, 16 (6.8%) are between 31 and 35 years old, 15 (6.4%) are between 36 and 40 years old, 6 (2.6%) are between 41 and 45 years old, 22 (9.4%) are between 46 and 50 years old, 26 (11.1%) are between 51 and 55 years old, 23 (9.8%) are between 56 and 60 years old, 14 (6.0%) are between 61 and 65 years old, and 72 (30.6%) are 65 years old or older. (See Chart #5.) This graph shows that the results contain some age bias towards respondents 65 and older. There are a couple possible explanations for the greater response rate from this demographic group. One possibility is—because many in this age group are likely retired—they had more time to respond. The survey was longer than most un-‐incentivized surveys, so retired individuals are more likely to start and complete the survey. Another possibility is also related to retirement; because individuals in this age group are most likely out of the workforce, they are less encumbered by work emails, making the survey more noticeable in an inbox. Even with some age bias, the results accurately represent the feelings of the total population.

2%

7%

8%

7%

6%

3% 9%

11% 10%

6%

31%

Missing

21 to 25

26 to 30

31 to 35

36 to 40

41 to 45

46 to 50

51 to 55

56 to 60

61 to 65

65 and above

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Chart #6 Household Income

Survey question 6 asked the respondents to indicate their household income. The options were “less than $25,000 to $49,999,” “$75,000 to $99,999,” “$100,000 to $149,999,” “$150,000 or more,” or “choose not to disclose.” Results indicated that 4 (1.7%) did not respond, 26 (11.1%) earn $49,999 and below, 35 (15.0%) earn between $50,000 and $74,999, 37 (15.8%) earn between $75,000 and $99,999, 44 (18.8%) earn between $100,000 and $149,999, 54 (23.1 %) earn $150,000 or more, and 34 (14.5%) chose not to disclose. (See Chart #6.) We can see from this chart that income is fairly evenly distributed. No significant biases existed based on income, and this is an accurate representation of the distribution of alumni incomes.

2%

11%

15%

16%

19%

23%

14%

Missing

Less than $25,000 to $49,999 $50,000 to $74,999

$75,000 to $99,999

$100,00 to $149,999

$150,000 or more

Choose not to disclose

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Chart #7 Did you receive your undergraduate degree from Bradley University?

Survey question 7 asked respondents whether they had received an undergraduate degree from Bradley University. The options were “yes” or “no.” Of the 236 responses, 3 (1.3%) did not respond, 222 (94.9%) received their undergraduate degrees from Bradley, and 9 (3.8%) did not receive their undergraduate degrees from Bradley. (See Chart #7.) This chart indicates that the majority of respondents attended Bradley for their undergraduate degree.

95%

4%

1%

Yes

No

Missing

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Chart #8 Did you receive your graduate degree from Bradley University?

Survey question 8 asked respondents if they received a graduate degree from Bradley University. The options were “yes” or “no.” Of the 236 responses, 9 (3.8%) did not respond, 42 (17.9%) received graduate degrees from Bradley, and 183 (78.2%) did not receive graduate degrees from Bradley. (See Chart #8.) Results indicate that the majority of respondents graduated from Bradley with undergraduate degrees rather than graduate degrees.

18%

78%

4%

Yes

No

Missing

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Chart #9 Would you recommend Bradley University to a prospective student?

Survey question 9 asked respondents if they would recommend Bradley University to a prospective student. The options were “yes” or “no.” Of the 236 responses, 8 (3.4%) did not respond, 218 (93.2%) would recommend Bradley, and 8 (3.4%) would not recommend Bradley. (See Chart #9.) Results indicate that the majority of Bradley’s graduates are supportive of Bradley after graduation and were satisfied with the services they received while attending.

4%

3%

93%

Yes

Missing

No

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Chart #10 What college did you graduate from?

Survey question 10 asked the respondents which college they graduated from. The options were “Slane College of Communication and Fine Arts,” “College of Education and Health Science,” “Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology,” “College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.” Of the 236 responses, 6 (2.6%) did not respond to this question, 50 (21.4%) graduated from the Foster College of Business, 43 (18.4%) graduated from the Slane College of Communication and Fine Arts, 42 (17.9%) graduated from the College of Education and Health Sciences, 48 (20.5%) graduated from the Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology, and 45 (19.2%) graduated from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. (See Chart #10.) Results indicate that the respondents’ colleges were fairly evenly distributed. All of Bradley University’s colleges are fairly represented in this survey.

3%

21%

18%

18%

21%

19%

Missing

Foster College of Business

Slane College of CommunicaIon and Fine Arts College of EducaIon and Health Science

Caterpillar College of Engineering and Technology

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

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Discussion of Survey Results After completing the initial data analysis, we ran a few statistical tests to see if there were any relationships between the responses. We found that correlations existed between how alumni feel about their post-‐graduation success and loyalty to Bradley. Post-‐graduation success is also correlated with level of involvement in the BUAA. In order to increase the likelihood of alumni involvement, the BUAA should offer services that can help increase young graduates’ standards of living. Although these correlations exist, the use of a linear regression model indicated that these factors were not the greatest contributors to involvement, especially involvement related to attending events. Approximately 76% of alumni’s likelihood of attending events can be explained by amount of knowledge of the BUAA, level of involvement in the association, knowledge acquired of the BUAA while at Bradley, and the perceived value in involvement. While promoting the success of alumni is very important, the most important factor in increasing involvement is communication. No matter how successful graduate are—or how much of that success can be attributed to Bradley’s services—alumni will not be involved in the BUAA if they are unaware of available opportunities. These results show that the BUAA must improve visibility, and the association should be visible early in students’ careers. Students who learned more about the BUAA during their college careers are more likely to be involved in the BUAA’s events after graduation. The increased visibility and communication must include the value of participation; those who perceive value in continued involvement are much more active than those who do not perceive that value. Involvement does not necessarily equate to donation; we analyzed the data to find the factors that have the greatest impact on donation. Results indicate that involvement in events is the major contributing factor in donation. The other factors include alumni’s sense of significance and frustration with phone calls soliciting donations. These three factors combined explain 58% of alumni’s likelihood of donating after graduation. Similarly, most respondents did not claim that they felt valued by the BUAA as an alumnus. In order to increase the probability of donation, the BUAA must improve the personal relations with alumni. The BUAA must also improve contact practices, as shown by the comments we received in the early planning stages of survey development. Respondents suggesting using phone calls and other communication methods typically used for soliciting donations should be paired with the communication of extra information that may interest graduates. This extra information could include information about campus, the BUAA’s purpose and services, BUAA events, or other information that graduates may find useful. This is a promising idea that could not only serve to improve donations—as well as other goals of the BUAA—such as increasing involvement at events, or connecting alumni to Bradley after graduation.

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Knowledge is a barrier in involvement, so these suggestions would improve BUAA perception and donation rates. Increasing involvement of young alumni is a major concern, so we decided compared the total sample size to those between the ages of 21 and 35. We found that variation exists, especially in questions concerning what type of events and services were most desirable. (See Chart #11.1.)

Chart #11.1 Responses of All Respondents Compared to Respondents Ages 21-35

The younger age groups tended to be more negative, which was a trend we also saw in similar surveys developed for other universities and organizations. In these other studies, results showed that younger alumni feel they have already received the value paid for with tuition. The best way to appeal to young alumni is to continue to provide value. In the survey section pertaining to possible events and services, we see that younger alumni want opportunities to continue education and grow competitively. (See Chart #11.2.)

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Chart #11.2 Responses of All Respondents Compared to Respondents Ages 21-35

The top three most popular potential events and services are free classes and seminars that will make alumni competitive in their careers, which received an average rating of 7.44 out of 10, free classes and seminars about current issues and interesting topics, which received and average rating of 7.038 out of 10, and professional networking events, which received an average rating of 6.98 out of 10. This clearly shows what younger alumni would like to see from the BUAA. If the BUAA desires to engage young alumni, the association must develop events and services that will meet alumni’s needs and provide additional educational and professional value.

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Board Evaluation General Findings Based on our survey results and discussions with staff and board members, the BUAA board’s fundamental problem is a lack of structural identity. Specifically, the board struggles to provide a unified answer to the question: “why are we here?” This leads to a lack of engagement from board members, as there is confusion on the purpose of the association. The board members need to discuss and reach a consensus on the purpose of the BUAA Board of Directors. Once the board members are working towards the same goal, the BUAA will be more successful in implementing objectives. To assist in the collaboration, the board members should conduct self-‐assessment of both the board and individual members. The BUAA engagement pyramid indicates that board members are advocates for the BUAA and should serve as prime examples of BUAA membership. The National Council of Nonprofits states that board members have three fiduciary obligations: time, treasure, and talent.18 In order to evaluate how well board members commit these resources, members should ask the following questions:

1. Time – During the last year, how many board meetings have been held and how many have you missed? Committee meetings? How much time are you dedicating throughout the week to the organization?

2. Treasure – During the last year, have you donated to the organization? Raised money for the organization?

3. Talent – During the last year, what special talent have you shared and applied

through the nonprofit? A board member should ask questions like these in order to self-‐evaluate performance and commitment to organizational goals. The answers to these questions determine board successes and areas for improvement, as well as provide analysis for board member strength and weaknesses. See Appendices A, B, and C for examples of self-‐evaluation forms for performance of the board as whole, personal performance, and fellow board member performance, respectively.19 Once the board has completed evaluations, the members can create action plans to enhance strengths and improve weaknesses. Action plans should include goals and objectives that allow the board to measure success of individual members and success of the BUAA Board of Directors as a whole. Board members should conduct evaluations annually to monitor progress in achieving objectives.

18 http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/files/How%20to%20be%20a%20Great%20Board%20Member.pdf 19 http://www.ecfa.org/Content/TopicBoardSelfEval

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We believe that the purpose of the board—as seen in our proposed mission statement—is to promote engagement with Bradley University by connecting students and alumni. This is the sole responsibility of the alumni association. The commitment of time, treasury, and talent by alumni measures the success of the BUAA board. Board Structure The current board structure is relatively efficient for an institution of Bradley’s size. The board is fairly represented with a diverse range of board member characteristics, such as class year, gender, race and demographic representation. When examining schools of similar size—such as Butler University, Creighton University, Drake University, and Illinois Wesleyan University—we found that alumni association boards contained 14-‐24 board members on average. The only exception was Drake University, with a board of 32 board members. However, the size of the board at Drake seems excessive, especially when compared to large schools. For example, Indiana University has a board with 13 members. The BUAA board structure is effective due to the diversity of members and small committee sizes. With four to five board members per committee, discussions can be focused and productive in prioritizing events and assigning responsibilities. The 18-‐member board is effective, because it allows for a discussion with diverse perspectives of BUAA issues and strategies. In order to hold committees responsible, the board should expand the duties of committees and individual responsibilities of directors. A core difference between the BUAA and other alumni associations is that other associations have a 501(c)(3) nonprofit status. However, the only associations that are keeping this status are large alumni associations supported by membership dues. A majority of institutions are dropping the 501(c)(3) status, as the dues no longer cover the cost of delivering effective alumni relations services.20 The BUAA is not a 501(c)(3) organization, so the board does not have the responsibility of generating cash through donations to continue operations. The BUAA will continue to be supported by the university, so the focus should be alumni engagement. Receiving donations is a result of successfully executing the organization’s goals but is not the purpose of the organization. After carefully examining the committee structure of BUAA, we believe that the Marketing and Communications Committee should be eliminated, and the members of this committee should be distributed among other committees. Marketing is a core problem for the BUAA; by delegating this task to a committee, it removes the responsibility from the board. Marketing is a board issue rather than a committee issue, so the function of marketing and communication should be incorporated within the three remaining committees as a functional task. However, the board should still be ultimately responsible for marketing. The distribution of the marketing tasks is represented by committee name changes, resulting in the Alumni Engagement and Communication, Student Engagement and Communication, and Professional Development Committees. Each committee should be 20 http://www.napagroup.com/pdf/Alumni%20Association%20Funding%20Survey.pdf

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responsible for developing the messages behind the content created, but the committees should receive board approval. Other universities’ alumni associations have similar structures to the one we recommended, with variations of alumni engagement, student engagement, and networking, but no marketing or communications committees. See Figures 12.1 and 12.1 for current and proposed organizational charts.

Figure #12.1 Current Organizational Chart

Figure #12.2 Proposed Organizational Chart

ExecuIve CommiQee

Leadership CommiQee

Professional Development CommiQee

Alumni Engagement CommiQee

Student Engagement CommiQee

MarkeIng & CommunicaIons

CommiQee

ExecuIve CommiQee

Leadership CommiQee

Professional Development CommiQee

Alumni Engagement and CommunicaIons

CommiQee

Student Engagement and CommunicaIons

CommiQee

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2010-‐2015 Strategic Plan Bradley University Alumni Association

Department of Alumni Relations 2010-‐2015 Strategic Plan Approved May 14, 2010

Mission

The Bradley University Alumni Association promotes and serves Bradley University by connecting alumni and students through activities which build pride and loyalty, and create mutually rewarding opportunities for lifelong engagement, service, and support.

Vision 1. The BUAA and the Alumni Relations organization provide lifelong resources in support

of alumni personal, professional, and civic aspirations. 2. Proud and loyal alumni celebrate Bradley traditions and assist the University through

volunteer and financial support. 3. Alumni worldwide are engaged in helping the University reach its goals through service

to students, support for each other and for the University.

Strategic Initiatives Vision statement #1: The BUAA and the Alumni Relations organization provide lifelong resources in support of alumni personal, professional, and civic aspirations. Strategic Initiatives

• Professional Opportunities: Enhance support services (in collaboration with the Smith Career Center) for students and alumni, and increase awareness about existing opportunities.

• Build our financial reserves: Seek to expand/enhance our current affinity fundraising program with the dual goals of providing additional benefits and services to alumni as well as to raise funds needed to support current and future program efforts.

• Focus on Young Alumni: Create a comprehensive program plan focused on the -‐2+3 audience (Juniors through 3 years out) which creates the basis for building a lifelong connection to the University.

• The Hayden-‐Clark Alumni Center: Design and develop programs and services which leverage the usage of the Hayden Clark Alumni Center. Utilize the facilities to maximize the benefits of a dedicated resource for alumni, students and the university.

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Vision statement #2: Proud and loyal alumni celebrate Bradley traditions and support the university through volunteer and financial support. Strategic Initiatives

• Regional Networks: Create networks of alumni and programs in key strategic areas to enable better connection and affiliation to the university.

• Communication and Marketing: In collaboration with University communications, develop a comprehensive strategy for the effective use of old and new media to more effectively inform and inspire alumni to engage in alumni and University activities.

• Volunteer Recruitment and Retention: Develop a comprehensive plan for the effective recruitment, retention, and recognition of active and involved alumni volunteers.

• Create and Maintain Bradley Traditions: Develop and support meaningful, value-‐added campus events and activities that unite alumni and students in pride for their alma mater. (Homecoming, Alumni Weekend, Reunions, etc.)

Vision statement #3: Alumni worldwide are engaged in helping the University reach its goals through service to students, support for each other and for the University. Strategic Initiatives

• Admissions Assistance: Develop and enhance opportunities (in collaboration with the University’s admissions department) for alumni to assist in the recruitment of a diverse student body.

• Alumni-‐Student Interaction: Develop programs in which the interaction between alumni and students is meaningful and mutually beneficial to them and to the institution.

• Collaboration with and Growth of Affinity Groups: Explore ways to better serve and engage campus partners and their respective constituent groups through collaborative activities that are mutually beneficial. (departments and academic units and special interest groups such as Greek Life and other affinity groups)

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2015-‐2020 Strategic Plan Bradley University Alumni Association

Department of Alumni Relations 2015-‐2020 Proposed Strategic Plan

MISSION

The Bradley University Alumni Association (BUAA) promotes and serves Bradley University by connecting alumni and students, encouraging lifelong engagement.

VISION

1. To provide lifelong resources to support the personal and professional development of alumni.

2. To create and maintain alumni networks to promote and celebrate Bradley University. 3. To facilitate a relationship between alumni and students to support student and

university goals.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES Vision statement #1: To provide lifelong resources to support the personal and professional development of alumni.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES • Professional Opportunities: Create and enhance support services directed at

professional development for students and alumni, as well as increase awareness of existing opportunities.

• Focus on Young Alumni: Create comprehensive programs focused on networking and developmental courses, intended for juniors through graduates 3 years out.

• Personal Development Opportunities: Create support services directed at personal development for students and alumni, as well as increase awareness of existing opportunities.

Vision statement #2: To create and maintain alumni networks to promote and celebrate Bradley University.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES • Regional Networks: Create networks of alumni, focusing on peer-‐to-‐peer

networking, as well as create programs in key strategic areas to enable better connection and affiliation to the university.

• Volunteer Recruitment and Retention: Leverage active alumni and board members of the BUAA to recruit, retain, and recognize active and involved alumni volunteers.

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• Maintain Bradley Traditions: Support the university in the promotion of events and activities that stimulate pride and loyalty to Bradley.

Vision statement #3: To facilitate a relationship between alumni and students to support student and university goals.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES • Admissions Assistance: Develop and enhance opportunities (in collaboration with

the University’s admissions department) for alumni to assist in the recruitment of a diverse student body.

• Alumni-‐Student Interaction: Develop programs in which alumni and students can interact, focusing on alumni-‐taught courses and alumni-‐student networking.

• Collaboration with and Growth of Affinity Groups: Seek out strategic partnerships with affinity groups on campus, including academic, communications, cultural, fraternity/sorority, general interest, political, performing arts, service, and sports groups.

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Strategic Plan Description and Rationale Mission Statement

Current Statement The Bradley University Alumni Association promotes and serves Bradley University by connecting alumni and students through activities which build pride and loyalty, and create mutually rewarding opportunities for lifelong engagement, service, and support. Proposed Statement The Bradley University Alumni Association (BUAA) promotes and serves Bradley University by connecting alumni and students, encouraging lifelong engagement. Description and Rationale A mission statement answers the fundamental question: “Why does the organization exist?” The mission statement concisely educates the reader on the core purpose of the organization. The primary purpose of an alumni association is to keep alumni connected with their alma maters. This is done through volunteer opportunities, financial giving, etc. However, these should not be the ultimate goals of an alumni association, but the means for alumni to stay connected to their universities. With this primary purpose in mind, we began our analysis of the current mission statement. We identified the elements of the mission that are aligned with the BUAA’s core purpose. We kept the phrase “promotes and serves Bradley University,” as this establishes the BUAA’s primary purpose as an advisory board that exists to assist the university. Other main elements are “connecting alumni and students” and “lifelong engagement.” These two core ideas are the entire premise of the BUAA. “Connecting alumni and students” includes establishing a relationship between these two groups, which can create long-‐term value for the parties involved. “Lifelong engagement” is the central goal of an alumni association, as it gives alumni reasons to stay involved with their universities after graduation. Our proposed mission statement highlights only these two areas, as these elements should be the core focus of the BUAA. The current mission statement is lengthy and filled with buzzwords that diminish readers’ understanding of the core purpose of the alumni association. The phrases “pride and loyalty” and “service and support” are results of alumni engagement with the university, but these should not be the primary goal of the BUAA. Our proposed statement explains the true purpose of the BUAA in a concise manner. The new mission is easy to remember, maximizing value in discussing the BUAA and the association’s future direction.

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Vision Statement #1 Current Statement The BUAA and the Alumni Relations organizations provide lifelong resources in support of alumni personal, professional, and civic aspirations. Proposed Statement To provide lifelong resources to support the personal and professional development of alumni. Description and Rationale

We analyzed the first vision statement and concluded that the statement is primarily related to interpersonal development of alumni. We also deleted redundant phrases; the statement clearly applies to the BUAA, so including the phrase “the BUAA and Alumni Relations organizations” is unnecessary. The reason we removed civic aspirations from the mission statement is because civic aspirations fall under personal growth and do not require special emphasis. While personal and professional development are interrelated, these topics are distinct enough to merit separate initiatives. All initiatives under this vision statement should emphasize development of Bradley University alumni.

Professional Opportunities – Modified Current Initiative: Enhance support services (in collaboration with the Smith Career Center) for students and alumni, and increase awareness about existing opportunities. Proposed Initiative: Create and enhance support services directed at professional development for students and alumni, as well as increase awareness of existing opportunities.

Rationale: We removed wording about partnering with the Smith Career Center (SCC), because the BUAA cannot realistically coordinate all professional development activities with the SCC. We acknowledge that the relationship between the BUAA and SCC is important, but the phrase does not merit the considerable emphasis shown in the initiative. The word “create” was added because the BUAA can create services in addition to supporting services. The phrase “directed as professional development” was added to reiterate the goal of the initiative. Build Our Financial Reserves – Removed Current Initiative: Seek to expand/enhance our current affinity fundraising program with the dual goals of providing additional benefits and services to alumni as well as to raise funds needed to support current and future program efforts.

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Proposed Initiative: None.

Rationale: While Bradley University is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the BUAA is an advisory board—therefore, the association is not a nonprofit. As such, the BUAA does not build financial reserves, so there is no reason to include this initiative in the vision statement. The association should sponsor events that lead to financial donations for Bradley University, but the BUAA does not directly handle money. Focus on Young Alumni – Modified Current Initiative: Create a comprehensive program plan focused on the -‐2+3 audience (Juniors through 3 years out) which creates the basis for building a lifelong connection to the University. Proposed Initiative: Create comprehensive programs focused on networking and developmental courses, intended for juniors through graduates 3 years out.

Rationale: We changed the “-‐2+3” wording to make the initiative more clear and concise. We added the phrase “focused on networking and developmental courses” to emphasize the needs of alumni. The Hayden Clark Alumni Center – Removed Current Initiative: Design and develop programs and services which leverage the usage of the Hayden Clark Alumni Center. Utilize the facilities to maximize the benefits of a dedicated resource for alumni, students and the university. Proposed Initiative: None.

Rationale: The alumni center is run by Bradley University, not the BUAA. The BUAA has input but does not run the center or manage staff, making this portion of the vision statement unnecessary. However, the BUAA can develop programs that leverage the usage of the center. Personal Development Opportunities – Added Current Initiative: None. Proposed Initiative: Create support services directed at personal development for students and alumni, as well as increase awareness of existing opportunities.

Rationale: We used similar wording to the professional development initiative, as we determined that personal development is as important but distinguished from professional development. There are currently opportunities for personal development, but these

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programs are not offered through the BUAA. The association should increase awareness of opportunities, as well create programs offered through the BUAA.

Vision Statement #2

Current Statement Proud and loyal alumni celebrate Bradley traditions and support the university through volunteer and financial support. Proposed Statement To create and maintain alumni networks to promote and celebrate Bradley University. Description and Rationale The statement has been shortened to decrease complexity and define the prime focus. We deleted the “volunteer and financial support” section, because those are tangible aspects of promoting Bradley University. Alumni associations cannot survive without volunteering and financial support, but these are subsections beneath the vision statement. We also deleted the phrase “proud and loyal” alumni, because many alumni are proud of their schools, but only a portion of alumni take the initiative to promote and celebrate Bradley University. The only addition is the mention of alumni networks. This was added to the vision statement, because alumni networks are key success factors in alumni relations. Without these networks, there would be no promotion, marketing, or celebration of Bradley University, making it difficult to engage alumni. Strategic Initiatives Regional Networks – Modified Current Initiative: Create networks of alumni and programs in key strategic areas to enable better connection and affiliation to the university. Proposed Initiative: Create networks of alumni, focusing on peer-‐to-‐peer networking, as well as create programs in key strategic areas to enable better connection and affiliation to the university.

Rationale: We added the emphasis on peer-‐to-‐peer networking, because this form of networking is the most effective and underutilized means of engaging alumni at the BUAA’s disposal. Peer-‐to-‐peer networking is especially beneficial in locations distant from Bradley University.

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Communication and Marketing – Removed Current Initiative: In collaboration with University communications, develop a comprehensive strategy for the effective use of old and new media to more effectively inform and inspire alumni to engage in alumni and University activities. Proposed Initiative: None.

Rationale: We integrated communication and marketing with all vision statements. Volunteer Recruitment and Retention – Modified Current Initiative: Develop a comprehensive plan for the effective recruitment, retention, and recognition of active and involved alumni volunteers. Proposed Initiative: Leverage active alumni and board members of the BUAA to recruit, retain, and recognize active and involved alumni volunteers.

Rationale: We changed the language of the initiative to focus on the importance of active BUAA members in recruiting volunteers. People do not work with organizations; people work with other people in organizations. We want to acknowledge that alumni involvement is a result of the actions of individuals within the association. Maintain Bradley Traditions – Modified Current Initiative: Develop and support meaningful, value-‐added campus events and activities that unite alumni and students in pride for their alma mater. Proposed Initiative: Support the university in the promotion of events and activities that stimulate pride and loyalty to Bradley.

Rationale: We removed the word “create” because of the difficulty in creating Bradley traditions that are well-‐known by students and alumni. The BUAA plays an important role in maintaining traditions, so the wording was changed to reflect the importance of promoting these traditions.

Vision Statement #3 Current Statement Alumni worldwide are engaged in helping the University reach its goals through service to students, support for each other, and for the University.

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Proposed Statement To facilitate a relationship between alumni and students to support student and university goals. Description and Rationale The support offered to students is the core concept of this vision statement, and the change reflects the benefits of involvement in the BUAA. The rewrite of this vision statement is also clearer and more memorable; the original statement was a goalless sentence, so we changed the statement from a sentence to a goal. The alumni association can strive to achieve the goal, while alumni and students reading the vision statement have a clearer understanding of what the BUAA is working to accomplish. Strategic Initiatives Admissions Assistance – Retained Current Initiative: Develop and enhance opportunities (in collaboration with the University’s admissions department) for alumni to assist in the recruitment of a diverse student body. Proposed Initiative: No change.

Rationale: We believe this is a worthwhile endeavor, and the current initiative clearly portrays the objectives. Alumni-‐Student Interaction – Modified Current Initiative: Develop programs in which the interaction between alumni and students is meaningful and mutually beneficial to them and to the institution. Proposed Initiative: Develop programs in which alumni and students can interact, focusing on alumni-‐taught courses and alumni-‐student networking.

Rationale: We changed this statement to more clearly define goals the BUAA should pursue in relation to alumni-‐student interaction. In our survey results, students and alumni clearly indicated that they desire networking and continuing education opportunities. Collaboration with and Growth of Affinity Groups – Modified Current Initiative: Explore ways to better serve and engage campus partners and their respective constituent groups through collaborative activities that are mutually beneficial. (departments and academic units and special interest groups such as Greek Life and other affinity groups)

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Proposed Initiative: Seek out strategic partnerships with affinity groups on campus, including academic, communications, cultural, fraternity/sorority, general interest, political, performing arts, service, and sports groups.

Rationale: We changed the phrase “collaboration with and growth of” to “partner with,” because the new wording more clearly states the purpose of the initiative. We also included generic group categories to cover all groups that may develop partnerships with the BUAA.

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Strategic Plan Recommendations Vision Statement #1

Professional Opportunities Young alumni are more likely to participate in professional events that broaden their networking circles and offer continuing education events. With the resources Bradley University has available, the BUAA can offer more events tailored for young alumni, which will encourage active involvement in the association. Successful alumni in the association will be able to offer endorsements, potential jobs, and possibly educational courses, and the BUAA can create events that young alumni will attend. Focus on Young Alumni Young alumni seek to develop both professionally and personally, so development opportunities are main factors of involvement in various professional organizations and associations. The BUAA can offer opportunities to young alumni with the association’s established alumni networks, facilities, and programs. Personal Development Opportunities Young alumni may benefit from personal development programs offered through Bradley University. These programs can assist with tasks such as buying a house or moving overseas. Assistance can come in the form of formal or informal events where alumni talk to one another, sharing information on major life activities. The BUAA can also offer volunteering opportunities to help with personal development of younger alumni who want to give back in a non-‐monetary form. Corresponding Committee The Marketing & Communications Committee has been eliminated as a sole committee and divided among all other committees, due to the universal importance of marketing to each element of the vision statement. Marketing is integral to the Professional Development, Alumni Engagement, and Student Engagement Committees; it is needed in all three committees, not just one. In addition, we have paired each committee with a vision statement. This will create a narrower focus and higher accountability within each committee. We paired this vision statement with the Professional Development Committee, because this committee directly targets professional development. Growth in the direction of this vision statement can be accomplished with professional development of alumni. An example is an alumni-‐given podcast with episodes on various topics, such as filing for taxes.

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The podcast would assist with personal development of countless alumni, while boosting the guest speaker’s professional development.

Vision Statement #2

Regional Networking The BUAA needs to create value in regional areas that promote Bradley and attract the best prospective students. Some examples of regional areas with large concentrations of Bradley students and alumni are the Midwest (Chicago, St. Louis, and Southern Wisconsin), southern California, and India. Our marketing data has shown that the following recommendations will help with regional networking:

1. Young alumni – The young Bradley alumni will keep the Bradley tradition alive. The BUAA must create events that young Bradley alumni want to attend. One recommendation is the establishment of alumni-‐owned bars/restaurants in regional hotbeds, such as those listed above. Other alumni associations have successfully used this tactic, and the BUAA may benefit from it as well.

2. Alumni with family – The BUAA needs to make events that are appropriate for

family members of all ages. These events could include zoo outings, picnics or barbeques, visits to amusement parks, etc., to entertain alumni’s families. Alumni with families have limited time, so there will be increased attendance and engagement if the family can be involved as well.

3. Chapters – The main problems with event success is coordination and

communication. The new toolkits being developed will explain how to organize events, which will be very helpful for alumni who have no experience in event coordination. The toolkits should also contain contact information for those who can assist alumni in recruiting volunteers and running the events annually. By establishing annual events, the standardization will make events well-‐known and easier to run, increasing attendance and involvement.

Volunteer Recruitment and Retention The toolkit intended for BUAA chapters can also be used to improve recruitment. Recruiting volunteers is difficult, because alumni are busy with work and families. If the events are not held consistently or marketed well in advance, then alumni will not attend. This toolkit will provide guidelines on successfully establishing and running. The toolkit will be backed by the BUAA and contain contact information for the use of regional alumni.

1. Communicating benefits – If the events offer benefits, then alumni are more likely to attend. With alumni’s busy schedules, they will need to see the benefits of attending events offered by the BUAA. If the BUAA can market the benefits of volunteering to

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create a sense of satisfaction, the alumni will volunteer or attend, as well as increase overall involvement in the BUAA.

2. Marketing -‐ If the BUAA can market events well in advance, the attendance will increase with growth in awareness every year. The toolkit will provide marketing contacts, tips, and best practices to help these events succeed.

Maintain Bradley Traditions Rather than creating new traditions, there needs to be an emphasis on growing current traditions. Bradley’s few well-‐known traditions need to stay intact. If loyalty to Bradley continues to decrease, there will be no pride when alumni declare themselves Bradley Braves. The administration, the BUAA, Office of Alumni Relations, and alumni need to work together to keep Bradley united regionally, nationally, and internationally. The lack of success of traditional events can be attributed to the attempts to make changes. We modified the meaning of the traditions initiative, because it is difficult to create Bradley University traditions. Traditions have to occur on a regular basis and be successful in each attempt; otherwise, the traditions dwindle and die out. That is why the BUAA should maintain and work with current Bradley traditions. Other than that modification, all other strategic initiatives are the same. However, each initiative is paired with multiple recommendations. Recommendations to increase event success are as follows:

1. Large annual/semiannual events (Homecoming, Alumni Weekend, Parents Weekend, etc.) – The big events on campus need a consistent location, time, and date. If these aspects of the event are the same every year, students, alumni, and parents can adapt their schedules accordingly to change these events into traditions.

2. Marketing – If these events are scheduled ahead of time, then Bradley can market

the events earlier and reach more alumni. Marketing needs to coordinate with all departments to attain the goal of reaching greater numbers of alumni.

3. Partner with Affinity Groups – Organizations on campus need to plan Family

Weekend, alumni events, formals, and sporting events around Bradley’s three or four marquee events. Alumni are more willing to participate in highly attended events, especially if they know other alumni who are attending. For example, all fraternities and sororities on campus could hold one Alumni Weekend. This would be similar to the All-‐Greek Reunion held in 2012, but the event would be on Bradley’s campus rather than in Chicago. The All-‐Greek Alumni Weekend would bring in greater numbers of diverse alumni to Bradley. The event could also be partnered with homecoming, resulting in the growth of both separate, but coordinated events.

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Corresponding Committee We paired this vision statement with the Alumni Engagement and Communications Committee—renamed to represent the importance of marketing and communication—because this committee directly targets alumni involvement. This committee is responsible for creating alumni loyalty to Bradley University. This added focus will inspire young and old alumni to attend more events, volunteer, and promote the university, as well as increase involvement in the BUAA.

Vision Statement #3

Admissions Assistance The Admissions Office and the BUAA should coordinate to create a mutually beneficial relationship. We propose that the BUAA recruit alumni to contact prospective students and give them a first-‐hand account of their experiences at Bradley. Methods of contact can vary, ranging from a simple phone call to a personal meeting over coffee or lunch. Even before arriving on campus, students are aware of the BUAA. To follow up, the BUAA might consider sponsoring a booth at the Welcome Week Activities Fair. By creating this early relationship, students would have a much higher awareness of the BUAA by graduation. In addition to a presence on campus, alumni should organize more recruiting events for prospective students within regional networks. The BUAA is fortunate to have a diverse base of alumni dispersed around the world. If the BUAA could encourage alumni—especially regional and global alumni—to help market Bradley to incoming or prospective students, this would further enhance the mutually beneficial relationship. For example, a prospective student in India can be put in touch with Indian alumni through the coordination of the BUAA and the Admissions Office. Alumni-‐Student Interaction The BUAA should become involved with more networking events between alumni and current students. To further this objective, the BUAA could sponsor booths at the fall, spring, and summer job, internship, and career fairs. Rather than representing a particular employer, the BUAA could offer advice on elevator speeches, talking to employers, and other aspects of the job fairs. These fairs could serve as both networking and marketing opportunities to the association. Collaboration with and Growth of Affinity Groups It is in the best interests of all organizations to coordinate events around Bradley’s main events. This would diversify events and increase involvement, allowing current students, alumni, and the surrounding community to connect.

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Corresponding Committee We paired this vision statement with the Student Engagement and Communications, also renamed to emphasize communication. This committee is responsible for fostering student-‐alumni engagement through activities and volunteer opportunities, both on campus and in regional networks. This added focus will increase alumni-‐student connection and reinforce alumni-‐student engagement.

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Appendix A Sample #1 — Board of Directors Full Board Evaluation Rankings go from 1 = Low/Disagree up to 5 = High/Agree Board Activity 1. The board operates under a set of policies, procedures, and guidelines with

which all members are familiar. ①②③④⑤

2. The Executive Committee reports to the board on all actions taken. ①②③④⑤ 3. There are standing committees of the board that meet regularly and report to

the board. ①②③④⑤

4. Board meetings are well-attended, with near full turnout at each meeting. ①②③④⑤ 5. Each board member has at least one committee assignment. ①②③④⑤ 6. Nomination and appointment of board members follow clearly established

procedures using known criteria. ①②③④⑤

7. Newly elected board members receive adequate orientation to their role and

what is expected of them. ①②③④⑤

8. Each board meeting includes an opportunity for learning about the

organization’s activities. ①②③④⑤

9. The board follows its policy that defines term limits for board members. ①②③④⑤ 10. The board fully understands and is supportive of the strategic planning

process of the ministry. ①②③④⑤

11. Board members receive meeting agendas and supporting materials in time for

adequate advance review. ①②③④⑤

12. The board adequately oversees the financial performance and fiduciary

accountability of the organization. ①②③④⑤

13. The board receives regular financial updates and takes necessary steps to

ensure the operations of the organization are sound. ①②③④⑤

14. The board regularly reviews and evaluates the performance of the CEO. ①②③④⑤ 15. The board actively engages in discussions around significant issues. ①②③④⑤ 16. The board chair effectively and appropriately leads and facilitates the board

meetings and the policy and governance work of the board. ①②③④⑤

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Mission and Purpose 1. Statements of the organization’s mission are well understood and supported

by the board. ①②③④⑤

2. Board meeting presentations and discussions consistently reference the

organization’s mission statement. ①②③④⑤

3. The board reviews the organization’s performance in carrying out the stated

mission on a regular basis. ①②③④⑤

Governance/Partnership Alignment 1. The board exercises its governance role, ensuring that the organization

supports and upholds the mission statement, core values, vision statement, and partnership policies.

①②③④⑤

2. The board periodically reviews and is familiar with the organization’s

partnership core documents. ①②③④⑤

3. The board reviews its own performance and measures its own effectiveness

in governance work. ①②③④⑤

4. The board is actively engaged in the board development processes ①②③④⑤ Board Organization 1. Information provided by staff is adequate to ensure effective board

governance and decision making. ①②③④⑤

2. The committee structure logically addresses the organization’s areas of

operation. ①②③④⑤

3. All committees have adequate agendas and minutes for each meeting. ①②③④⑤ 4. All committees address issues of substance. ①②③④⑤ Board Meetings 1. Board meetings are frequent enough to ensure effective governance. ①②③④⑤ 2. Board meetings are long enough to accomplish the board’s work. ①②③④⑤ 3. Board members fully and positively participate in discussions. ①②③④⑤ Board Membership 1. The board size is adequate to effectively govern the organization. ①②③④⑤ 2. The board has a range of talents, experience, and knowledge to accomplish

its role. ①②③④⑤

3. The board uses its members’ talents and skills effectively. ①②③④⑤

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4. The board makeup is diverse with experience, skills, ethnicity, gender, denomination, and age group.

①②③④⑤

5. Fellow board members review each member’s performance at the end of

each term. ①②③④⑤

6. Each board member participates in financially supporting the organization on

an annual basis. ①②③④⑤

Administration and Staff Support 1. The committee structure provides adequate contact with administration and

staff. ①②③④⑤

2. Communication is strong and clear between the board and staff. ①②③④⑤ 3. Staff support before, during, and after board meetings is effective ①②③④⑤

Please make any other comments about the work and effectiveness of our boards:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Source: http://www.ecfa.org/Content/TopicBoardSelfEval

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Appendix B

Sample #2 — Board of Directors – Self Evaluation Form

Board Member: _ 1. How do you assess your contribution to this ministry? (You might want to include such things as: attendance at board meetings, participation,

promotion and fund-raising, prayer, committee work, or any other areas on which you would like to comment)

2. Do you feel that your financial contributions to the ministry are at a level which is “personally

significant” for you? Why or why not?

3. How has our ministry invested in your growth as a board member? 4. What would you like to contribute to or involve yourself in if you were to serve another term? 5. How would you like our ministry to invest in and facilitate your personal development as a

board member? 6. What changes would you suggest, as a board member, in the operation and involvement of

the board? Source: http://www.ecfa.org/Content/TopicBoardSelfEval

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Appendix C Sample #3 — Board Member Evaluation Form

Evaluation of: ________________________________________________ Date: __________________

Leadership 1. Character and Personal Integrity: Consistently demonstrates professional and spiritual leadership character. Needs improvement 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent Unable to assess 2. Spiritual and Theological Contribution: Keeps the board focused on our theological foundations, mission and core values.

Needs improvement 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent Unable to assess

3. Ministry Investment: Investment of time, talents and resources in our ministry board meetings. Needs improvement 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent Unable to assess

Interpersonal Skills

4. Relational Integrity: Communicates appropriately and positively both during and between board meetings. Listens to the ideas of others. Needs improvement 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent Unable to assess

5. Commitment to Diversity: Displays behavior that values the culture and theological diversity of our ministry. Affirms the diverse gifts of colleagues.


Strategic Thinking 6. Vision and Values Focus: Engages with and keeps the board focused on core values, mission, and vision.


7. Solution and Innovation Focus: Identifies problems and suggests potential solutions. Open to change and new ideas. Values both long-term vision and outcomes as well as short-term ideas and solutions.


Board Contribution 8. Organizational Knowledge: Demonstrates knowledge of the structure, history, mission, and ethos of our ministry.


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9. Governance Wisdom: Contributes positively to discussion and debate through thoughtful, wise and clearly stated observations and opinions. Remains policy rather than operationally focused.


10. Committee Contribution: Adds value and unique perspective and insight to committee assignments. Needs improvement 1 2 3 4 5 Excellent Unable to assess

What do you see as the strongest contribution this member makes to the

board?

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Overall assessment as to possible contribution of this trustee to the future of our ministry: Very low 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Very high Any other comments?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________

Source: http://www.ecfa.org/Content/TopicBoardSelfEval

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Appendix D Recommended Readings The Napa Group articles: “Trends and Best Practices In Alumni Association Advocacy Programs” http://www.napagroup.com/pdf/Advocacy%20Trends%20Summary.pdf “Best Practices & Trends in Alumni Communication” http://www.napagroup.com/pdf/Trends_Best_Practices_Alumni_Communications.pdf “Trends and Best Practices in Alumni Associations” http://www.napagroup.com/pdf/Trends_Best_Practices_Alumni_Associations.pdf “Alumni Association Funding Models: Summary Findings from 20 Universities” http://www.napagroup.com/pdf/Alumni%20Association%20Funding%20Survey.pdf National Council of Nonprofits: “How to Be a Great Board Member” http://www.councilofnonprofits.org/files/How%20to%20Be%20Great%20Nonprofit%20Board%20Member.pdf

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Bradley University Final Project