Alumni

Sammy on a laptop

Strategic Work Plan

UC Santa Cruz Alumni Council Strategic Work Plan
July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2027

(Approved May 18, 2024)

Mission

To support the educational calling of UC Santa Cruz. To provide a means by which alumni may serve the university, its colleges, its students, and each other. To help guide the university into the future.

Purpose

The UCSC Alumni Council works to cultivate a relationship between current students, alumni, and the university where diverse and impactful action inspire alumni to engage, exchange ideas and opportunities with one another to develop opportunities for all alumni to reap the lifelong benefits of a UCSC education.

Values

The values we live by and how we operate. The culture that holds us together and allows Councilors to represent the ethos of the organization.

  • Supportive – We generously serve UCSC alumni, students, and the UCSC community.
  • Collaborative – We cultivate partnerships and foster collaboration in our work to support alumni, students, and the UCSC community.
  • Inclusive – We celebrate diversity, encourage equity, and promote a community of belonging. We respect all voices, knowing they make us a stronger community.
  • Appreciative – We value and honor each other and our impact. We celebrate Banana Slug’s achievements and seek ways to recognize and share alumni stories.
  • Dedicated – We pursue our mission with dedication to our alma mater. 

Three Focus Areas of the Strategic Work Plan

  1. Scalable Alumni Engagement
  2. Organizational Health
  3. Alumni Giving Participation

Three Focus Areas with SMART Objectives and Tactics

Focus Area 1: Alumni Engagement 

Engage alumni purposefully, personally, and professionally in a mutually beneficial relationship that generates meaningful connections and strengthens the alumni community. The Alumni Council’s engagement initiatives align with the Alumni Engagement staff driven programs and priorities.

  1. SMART Objective: Actively Participate as Volunteers Alumni Councilors serve as lead volunteers for alumni engagement program initiatives and leverage their personal, professional and extended Banana Slug networks to recruit a more diverse community of volunteer leaders, with the goal of having at least 40 volunteer-led events around the world each year and a network of 100 alumni volunteers that engages through Council initiatives.

    Tactics:
    1. Tactic – Alumni Councilors recruit volunteers to join the Council and to expand alumni engagement initiatives.
    2. Tactic – Table at alumni events, such as Return to the Redwoods, Alumni Reunion Weekend, and the Almost Alumni Social, to recruit alumni to volunteer. Partner with campus organizations, colleges, and divisions to discover and promote volunteer opportunities across campus.
    3. Tactic – Alumni volunteers serve as hosts at in-person events in their local communities including alumni-focused events and Summer Send-Offs for newly admitted students.
    4. Tactic – The Council meets with Alumni Engagement program staff once a year to identify volunteer opportunities for Council members that support programs throughout the fiscal year such as Slugs and Scones, Slugs and Steins, Alumni Reunion Weekend, Return to the Redwoods, regional events, identity programming for alumni, etc.
    5. Tactic – Councilors sign up and actively participate in the UC Advocacy Network and encourage their networks to join this online advocacy community. 
    6. Tactic – Councilors share the Volunteer Network website, noting the Volunteer Interest Form, with their alumni networks once each fiscal year for a general call for more alumni to join them in the fun work.
  2. SMART Objective: Engaging Volunteers through Alumni Association Scholarship Review Utilize the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund to engage alumni volunteers including past UCSC volunteers, Alumni Association Scholarship donors, and past scholarship recipients.

    Tactics:
    1. Tactic – Reach out to past Councilors to re-engage them in volunteering with UCSC by participating in the annual selection of new scholarship recipients and to donate to the fund.
    2. Tactic – Cast a wide net and promote the opportunity for alumni to volunteer and read scholarship applications.
    3. Tactic – Invite past scholarship recipients to read scholarship applications as a way to pay it forward.
    4. Tactic – Ask past scholarship recipients to share how the scholarship impacted their UCSC journey and where they are now in life; use their stories to fundraise for the scholarship and demonstrate alumni impact.
    5. Tactic – Contact past scholarship readers as part of the annual Alumni Councilor nomination process to encourage applications.

Focus Area 2: Organizational Health

Ensure the organization is sustainable and has a strong foundation to improve the reputation of the Council, enhance campus understanding and support of our work, retain a diverse group of Councilors, and conduct the necessary business of the Alumni Association within California Corporate code and our governing documents.

  1. SMART Objective: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) Intentionally implement inclusionary and equitable practices, foster a culture of belonging, and maintain diversity within the Council which will be measured through regular volunteer feedback and a commitment demonstrating year-over-year improvement.

    Tactics:
    1. Tactic – Conduct and report results from annual climate surveys with current and past board members to assess board culture, enhance our inclusionary culture, and assess year-over-year progress.
    2. Tactic – Incorporate educational opportunities into business meetings. Revisit past diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) trainings and create new strategies for training.
    3. Tactic – Continue to refine the nominations process for inclusive outreach, equitable review and ensure that the Council accurately represents the alumni body.
    4. Tactic – Assist in expanding the current efforts to engage the BIPOC alumni community by partnering with the Ethnic Resource Centers, the Office forDiversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Associate Director of Alumni Diversity Programs to support current programs and initiatives. 
    5. Tactic – Educate the Council on current alumni identity groups and create strategies for collaboration.
  2. SMART Objective: Council Documentation Review current documentation for Council business and develop policy and procedures as well as supporting documents that complement the bylaws to document business processes and ensure consistency from year to year.

    Tactics:
    1. Tactic – Develop policies and supporting documents to complement the Council’s bylaws. This includes creating a timeline with clear deliverables for drafting, finalizing, and approving policies and documentation at each business meeting.
    2. Tactic – Review the letter of gifts to ensure that all Alumni Association assets are being used with the right intent and ensure funds are being maximized for overall impact. Review the Distinguished Visiting Professor (DVP) Endowment to ensure the funds are leveraged to enhance undergraduate education, including providing the members with an annual report on how the funds were spent.
    3. Tactic – Assess the system to organize business documents and ensure Council and Alumni Association members have access to documents.
      ㅤ
  3. SMART Objective: Leadership Pipeline Build leadership capacity, regularly assess skills needed on the board, and gauge the interest of current Councilors to improve the assessment of needs between each year.

    Tactics:
    1. Tactic – Identify areas of training that would be helpful for board members (e.g. fundraising, storytelling, leading and facilitating meetings, and board member 101).
    2. Tactic – Create task-based leadership opportunities (e.g. working groups and special advisors). 
    3. Tactic – Assess the current board buddy system and internal mentor program to cultivate engaged and active Councilors. Alter the buddy system to pair up councilors for 6-12 months at a time to allow time to create deeper connections.
      ㅤ
  4. SMART Objective: Communications Communicate effectively as an organization regarding the Alumni Association’s annual business and initiatives of the Board that will in turn strengthen our visibility, with a goal of a 20% annual open rate average on emails from the Alumni Council. 

    Tactics:
    1. Tactic – Create a strategic communications timeline to ensure we conduct the required business of the board.
    2. Tactic – Continue to communicate with a single voice for the organization to highlight and publicize the annual business and initiatives of the board.
    3. Tactic – Publish an annual report for the members, outlining finances and major accomplishments of the year.
    4. Tactic – Conduct focus groups with students, new grads, and parents on ways to engage with alumni.
    5. Tactic – With support of staff, Councilors promote upcoming events and volunteer opportunities through their personal networks and channels.

Focus Area 3: Alumni Giving Participation

Incorporate a grassroots approach to encourage alumni to make annual gifts to campus, supporting the overall goal of a 3% undergraduate alumni giving rate, which helps elevate the campus rankings and reputation.

  1. SMART Objective: Fundraise for Alumni Association Scholarship Fund Implement an annual fundraising plan for the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund to raise $60,000 from 300 gifts annually, including $30,000 from 300 donors on Giving Day.

    Tactics:
    1. Tactic – Create a fundraising calendar by September 1 each year including solicitation and stewardship activities for the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.
    2. Tactic – Develop a campaign around Giving Day, including raising funds for a matching gift, encouraging 100% Council participation, developing a plan to win a challenge fund, creating a unified team spirit throughout the day, and encouraging Councilors to sign up to be ambassadors – all with a spirit of gratitude and meaningful stewardship of our donors.
    3. Tactic – Explore opportunities for a philanthropic event to raise money for the scholarship fund and celebrate its impact.
    4. Tactic – Inspire donors with stories showing the impact of the scholarship on the lives of recipients that are shared through emails, social media on the website.
    5. Tactic – Utilize social media to engage alumni and show the impact of giving.
      ㅤ
  2. SMART Objective: Donor Ambassadors Engage passionate volunteers as donor ambassadors to raise funds for specific areas of campus including in honor of a faculty, staff member, or a specific area of campus to help make giving personal.

    Tactics:
    1. Tactic – Provide opportunities for the Council to meet the annual giving team and learn more about grassroots fundraising, including UCSC’s fundraising plan and professional development training on how to fundraise.
    2. Tactic – Invite Councilors to launch a Crowdfunding page to raise funds for a specific area on campus.
  3. SMART Objective: Special Projects Fund Continue to distribute Special Project Fund money and determine long-term viability of the Special Project Fund.

    Tactics
    1. Tactic – Continue to distribute Special Project funds, gather final reports from the recipients, and create stories showing the impact of giving to this initiative.
    2. Tactic – Add a section on the alumni council website that shows the organizations that have been supported by Special Projects funds, and add photos, quotes, and videos if available.
    3. Tactic – Engage the Council in determining the future of the Special Project funds, either developing a plan to fundraise and ensure the long term viability of the fund, or sunset the fund.

Structure to support the Strategic Work Plan

Standing Committees:

Executive 

  • Assess the system to organize business documents and ensure Council and Alumni Association members have access to documents. (VP of Admin) 
  • Identify areas of training that would be helpful for board members (e.g. fundraising, storytelling, leading and facilitating meetings, and board member 101). 
  • Create task-based leadership opportunities (e.g. working groups and special advisors). 
  • Assess the current board buddy system and internal mentor program to cultivate engaged and active Councilors. Alter the buddy system to pair up councilors for 6-12 months at a time to allow time to create deeper 
  • Create a strategic communications timeline to ensure we conduct the required business of the board.
  • Continue to communicate with a single voice for the organization to highlight and publicize the annual business and initiatives of the board.
  • Publish an annual report for the members, outlining finances and major accomplishments of the year.

Finance 

  • Review the letter of gifts to ensure that all Alumni Association assets are being used with the right intent and ensure funds are being maximized for overall impact. 
  • Review the Distinguished Visiting Professor (DVP) Endowment to ensure the funds are leveraged to enhance undergraduate education, including providing 
  • Continue to distribute Special Project funds, gather final reports from the recipients, and create stories showing the impact of giving to this initiative. 
  • Tactic – Add a section on the alumni council website that shows the organizations that have been supported by Special Projects funds, and add photos, quotes, and videos if available. 
  • Tactic – Engage the Council in determining the future of the Special Project funds, either developing a plan to fundraise and ensure the long term viability of the fund, or sunset the fund.

Alumni Association Scholarship Fund 

  • Scholarship selection 
    • Engage past Councilors to participate in the annual selection of new scholarship recipient
    • Invite past recipients to read scholarship applications 
    • Collect stories from past recipients on how the scholarship has impacted their UCSC journey and where they are now. 
  • Fundraising 
    • Create a fundraising calendar by September 1 each year including solicitation and stewardship activities for the Alumni Association Scholarship Fund. 
    • Develop a campaign around Giving Day, including raising funds for a matching gift, encouraging 100% Council participation, developing a plan to win a challenge fund, creating a unified team spirit throughout the day, and encouraging Councilors to sign up to be ambassadors – all with a spirit of gratitude and meaningful stewardship of our donors. 
    • Explore opportunities for a philanthropic event to raise money for the scholarship fund and celebrate its impact. 
    • Provide opportunities for the Council to meet the annual giving team and learn more about grassroots fundraising, including UCSC’s fundraising plan and professional development training on how to fundraise. 
    • Invite Councilors to launch a Crowdfunding page to raise funds for a specific area on campus.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging 

  • Conduct and report results from annual climate surveys with current and past board members to assess board culture, enhance our inclusionary culture, and assess year-over-year progress. 
  • Incorporate educational opportunities into business meetings. Revisit past diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) trainings and create new strategies for training. 
  • Continue to refine the nominations process for inclusive outreach, equitable review and ensure that the Council accurately represents the alumni body. 
  • Assist in expanding the current efforts to engage the BIPOC alumni community by partnering with the Ethnic Resource Centers, the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Associate Director of Alumni Diversity Programs to support current programs and initiatives. 
  • Educate the Council on current alumni identity groups and create strategies for collaboration.

Nominations

  • Continue the work of the Nominations Committee in creating an open and inclusive nominations process to identify strong recommended candidates for the Alumni Council.

Ad-hoc Committee: 

Volunteer Opportunities and Promotion 

  • Alumni Councilors recruit volunteers to join the Council and to expand alumni engagement initiatives. 
  • Recruit volunteers to Table at alumni events, such as Return to the Redwoods, Alumni Reunion Weekend, and the Almost Alumni Social.
  • Alumni volunteers serve as hosts at in-person events in their local communities including alumni-focused events and Summer Send-Offs for newly admitted students. 
  • Promote participation in the UC Advocacy Network and encourage their networks to join this online advocacy community. 
  • Promote Volunteer Network website, noting the Volunteer Interest Form.
  • Conduct focus groups with students, new grads, and parents on ways to engage with alumni. 
  • With support of staff, encourage Councilors to promote upcoming events and volunteer opportunities through their personal networks and channels.
Last modified: Jul 09, 2024