Alumni

The University has very limited resources with which to fund alumni activity.  Most University organised alumni events run on a break-even basis.  However it may be possible for the University to provide some seed funding, enough to cover a few drinks and nibbles for smaller groups that are looking to get started. 

We discourage Alumni Associations and Contacts from maintaining a list of members and their contact details. The University has a statutory requirement to mail all graduates twice a year (with Avenue) so it is essential that the University preserves the integrity of its master alumni contact database.  If you receive one or many updates then you should pass these to the Development & Alumni Office alumni@glasgow.ac.uk, who can make sure that the information is updated on the database for future event invitations for your group.

All of our Associations are different, and as such all of their committees and organisers are different. The key to the success of any group lies in the enthusiasm of its members and communication among the group. There are many activities and events that can be organised with only a little time and effort and the University can help. Rotating the committee members and office holders is something that works well for the bigger groups where the members typically balance hectic family lives and busy jobs. Often people are ‘happy to help’ when asked but do not put themselves forward so it is always worth asking the wider alumni group to help.

This issue can cause worry for those in large groups as well as for those in small groups. In small groups the main organiser may worry that there are not enough active members or candidates who are willing to play an organisational role. In large groups, despite having the benefit of having many members in the group, the main organiser may find him or herself in a situation where nobody is willing to take over. Perhaps the current organiser has done such a good job that people feel they could not live up to the required standard?  There may not be an easy answer, but good communication goes a long way and the Development & Alumni Office can help.  Asking for a volunteer if the leaver can’t recommend someone or holding a meeting with the other local alumni or members will help to raise this issue as wider problem. In doing so may encourage other individuals to step forward or help find a solution.

Some groups find that their activity is not consistent. For example, an Association many enjoy a number of years with active membership and as such a packed calendar of events only to find that things slow down or in some cases come to a complete halt – perhaps one of the main motivators moved away or stood down as the main contact. However, all is not lost. The University welcomes more than 6,000 new alumni to its global community every year. People are travelling and relocating for business more than ever, so by starting up activities once more an Alumni Association may well find that it has many new members.  The Development & Alumni Office can help groups to make contact with new members and often articles in Avenue or social networking sites such as Facebook will help attract new individuals.

Given that all groups will have their own individual identity, so too will their set-up timescales be different. However, organisers should aim for momentum!  For example, once you organise a successful first meeting, then make sure a second meeting is planned within a reasonable follow-up time (one to two months) to keep the idea and enthusiasm fresh in people’s heads.  Spreading the responsibility out amongst committee members is a good idea as this will help to keep a core group motivated and focused – perhaps each committee member could take on the responsibility of planning a meeting or event, or work in pairs or small groups. Not all of these events need to be large scale formal dinners, as pub nights or small meetings are just as effective at keeping things moving. 

Events and meetings are a great way of getting people together and working towards a common goal or objective but they are not the only way to help people get connected.  We recommend that groups make the most of social networking sites so that all members (even the geographically remote) can connect with each other. Remember, although it might not be possible to meet on regular occasions with other alumni in the same city/country as you there are definite benefits to knowing that there are other individuals who share a common link with you nearby.  

Some of the University’s older and more established groups are proud to declare that they exist today and still work within their established constitution. The Development & Alumni Office can help provide a standard template constitution for any new group who would like to make their activities more formal. It is not essential however to have such a formal document. Some groups find that the flexibility of not working within a formal charter helps to keep the group dynamic and responsive to the needs of its members.