The Alumni Association has also been a team player and a good partner over the years, having accommodated both the University and the Foundation on a number of fronts:
- After more than 135 years as a dues-based organization (and the second largest of its kind), the Alumni Association accommodated the University’s request to engage and involve all alumni. We did so by creating the Universal Membership Model;
- A year-and-a-half ago, the Association accepted responsibility for the Illinois Connection advocacy program. In that short time, it has grown from 200 members to more than 4,200 today, and is far more effective, too — the first capital bill in nearly a decade, MAP grant funding restored, and a successful Lobby Day in Springfield;
- We supported, and continue to support, the Brilliant Futures fundraising campaign by building awareness, communicating its goals and accomplishments, scheduling programs, showcasing donors and participating in donor events nationwide — all at the Alumni Association’s expense;
- We secured an effective role in the identification and recommendation of trustees, resulting in a board that President Ikenberry has called, “the best board in the history of the University.” In just five working days, we deployed an online form and database, and systematically collected some 400 recommendations from alumni for our Board’s executive committee to review. This would not have happened had the Alumni Association been entirely a part of the administrative structure of the University.
As we go through the process of clarifying roles and responsibilities within the full scope of advancement, it is important that the Alumni Association and the Foundation are both actively involved to achieve an efficient structure for maximum effectiveness.
We appreciate the opportunity to share this information
and perspective with the Administrative Review Committee. 
