Strategic Plan

University of Louisville Alumni Association
Strategic Plan
FY 2003 – FY 2007

Developed by:
James P. Ford, Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations
and the
Alumni Association Strategic Planning Committee

March 2004
Updated Version

The UofL Alumni Association represents the largest single constituency of the University of Louisville and plays a major role in helping the University fulfill its mission of education, research and service. The Association, a non-dues paying umbrella organization for 100,000+ alumni and adopted alumni, has served the University community for more than 75 years.

Developing the Strategic Goals and Objectives of the UofL Alumni Association

The UofL Alumni Association membership offers an immeasurable pool of talent, resources and goodwill that are often marshaled in support of the University. However, active participation in the life of the University by its alumni steadily decreased in the 1990s. To reverse this trend, the leadership of the UofL Alumni Association embarked on a focused effort to assess, correct and rejuvenate its contact with alumni and reinvigorate alumni involvement with the University. The first step was to gather a group of dedicated alumni volunteers supported by University staff to serve as the Alumni Association Strategic Planning Committee (Addendum A). The committee met in late 2001 and early 2002 to develop a five-year strategic plan for the Association.

The planning committee analyzed a series of factors. They concluded that alumni no longer identify only with their class nor do they look to their alma mater just for nostalgic connections. Many alumni see their alma mater as an opportunity for individual and group networking, job opportunities, and as a center for life-long learning.

To better understand these important changes, the planning committee developed a survey instrument to collect data on alumni interests and needs. Responses to an Alumni Assessment Tool, sent to 1800 randomly selected alumni, showed that:

1) Alumni do not find current Association programs and activities appealing
2) Alumni prefer specialty activities based on their school or other affiliations
3) Alumni prefer to participate in activities where they live
4) Alumni desire to have access to an online directory of alumni
5) Alumni are not interested in commercial affinity programs and services

The assessment results, along with a review of other recent surveys (by the Kentucky Council on Post-Secondary Education and by Dey Systems, Inc.), helped the planning committee determine that any strategic plan for the Alumni Association should strive to answer two critical and interrelated questions:

“What can the Alumni Association do to serve its alumni?”
and
“What can alumni do to make the University a better place?”

Armed with a framework for developing strategic goals, the planning committee was further informed by re-visiting the mission statement of the Alumni Association (Addendum C) and performing a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis of the programs and services of the Association.

The outcome of these analyses led to the formation of four (4) specific goals, six (6) measurable objectives nd some of the actions required to achieve each goal. As a next step, the planning committee and others will identify the quantifiable measures, establish an implementation timeline, and assign specific responsibilities and develop accountability standards.

Strategic Goals and Objectives for the UofL Alumni Association FY 2003 – 2007

Goal #1: To develop programs and events that meet the needs and interests of a diverse alumni population
Strategy: Identify areas of partnership between alumni and the University
Tactics:

• Establish needs of each partner using surveys and other means of feedback and communication (i.e. telemarketing, strategy sessions, networking)
• Identify best practices from other universities (conduct site visits to like campuses and meet with alumni and development counterparts)
• Affirm current programs, eliminate ineffective programs, develop new programs to meet the many needs of a diverse alumni group and establish an ongoing evaluation tool and timeline to measure productivity (quarterly reviews throughout the year with board of directors and staff)

Strategy: Develop a process for volunteer involvement and lifelong service
Tactics:

• Develop a mission and vision for each volunteer committee in direct support of the mission of the University of Louisville
• Create new opportunities for alumni to serve and participate in the life of the University (i.e. alumni advocates, domestic travel, regional club activities)
• Clearly define volunteer roles and responsibilities (develop bylaws and update constitution, new board member orientation, leadership weekend)
• Eliminate ineffective volunteer roles, responsibilities and programs

Goal #2: To develop and foster strategic and effective communications with alumni
Strategy: Gather and send news/information in a regular and timely fashion
Tactics:

• Improve and sustain an informative and interactive website for the Alumni Association through creation of a web site coordinator for University Advancement
• Create and maintain an online alumni directory complete with broadcast email capabilities and email for life
• Improve the quantity and maintain the quality of content in all forms of communication from the University (will review and evaluate through monthly meetings with the director of communications and marketing--focus will be on branding, clarity, and purpose)

Goal #3: To develop alumni leaders and increase alumni participation in and philanthropic efforts on the University's behalf
Strategy: Assist in developing efforts to increase the percentage of alumni making charitable gifts
Tactics:

• Create and implement new alumni giving strategies
• Develop specific giving programs for key stakeholder groups
• Require 100% participation for all volunteers by 2004 (board members are asked to sign a letter of intent)
• Incorporate the importance and impact of charitable giving to the university in all forms of communication

Strategy: Develop meaningful work for alumni service to the University
Tactics:

• Create new opportunities for alumni involvement in student life
• Identify service projects for alumni in their home communities
• Expand career networking opportunities by partnering with student affairs

Critical Factors for Success

The planning committee acknowledges that certain conditions may arise from time to time to enhance or hinder the outcome of the plan. However, five (5) factors are critical to the success of this plan. They are:

• Strong and accountable volunteer leadership with clear responsibilities
• A mission and vision for all alumni groups
• Interactive and solutions-based communications
• Adequate financial resources to get the job done
• Continued growth in charitable giving by alumni

Conclusion

The planning committee recommends the adoption of these strategic goals, objectives and actions with implementation to begin in July 2002. Members view the plan as a “work-in-progress” with refinements, additions and modifications expected as staff and alumni volunteers collect additional data, select benchmarks and best practices, and assign responsibilities.

An operational plan with measurement tools designed to assess progress will complete the planning process. The planning committee suggests the creation of a “scorecard,” similar to one used to track progress toward Challenge for Excellence goals, and recommends that the first progress evaluation occur in January 2004 with subsequent evaluations conducted annually thereafter.

Addendum A
Strategic Planning Committee Members - 2001-2002

Alumni Participants:
Andrew W. Arnold, ‘89A, ‘95G
Rosalyn A. Carothers, ‘85MU, ‘90L
Linda W. Cauble, ‘69A, ‘74L
W. Stewart Cobb, ‘56B
Brenda G. Hart, ‘72G
Philip C. Hart, ‘90S
Richard E. McKnight, ‘90G, ‘97G
Jack W. Steiner, ‘76A, ‘81L
C. Edward Wardle, ‘66B, President, Alumni Association Executive Committee

Staff Participants:
Joseph S. Beyel, Vice President for Development and Alumni
James P. Ford
Gary A. Friedman
Nichola D. Johnson, ‘94B, ‘01G
Glenn F. Kosse
Christopher E. Miller, ‘86A, ‘88G
Tara S. Singer, ‘83A, ‘87G, ‘93G
Terry S. Singer
Dorothy J. Vittitow, ‘94A, ‘01G
Heather E. Worland, ‘96A

Susanne J. Wright, Consultant and Writer