Board of Directors Overview

Board of Directors

As the governing body of the UMass Amherst Alumni Association, the Board of Directors is comprised of alumni whose demonstrated service and leadership display a strong understanding and commitment to the mission of the Alumni Association and the advancement of the University of Massachusetts Amherst. 

Board Composition

The Board of Directors consists of 34 voting members including:

  • Eighteen (18) directors elected by the Alumni Association’s eligible membership
  • Twelve (12) directors appointed by the President, including nine (9) appointments from the general membership, two (2) appointments from chartered alumni clubs or affiliate groups, and one (1) alumni appointment from the university faculty or staff
  • One (1) representative of the chartered alumni clubs elected by the officers of chartered alumni clubs
  • Two (2) enrolled students who serve one-year terms, appointed by the President, one of whom shall be a member of the Student Alumni Association
  • The immediate past president who serves a two-year term, concurrent with the president’s term

Elected directors serve three-year terms beginning each July and appointed directors serve two-year terms. 

Officers

The Officers of the Board include the following:

  • President
  • Three Vice Presidents
  • Treasurer
  • Secretary

Officers are elected by the Board of Directors, and must be elected or appointed members of the Board at the time of their nomination.

Board and Committee Meetings

Three full Board meetings are conducted during the year: the first in October during Homecoming Weekend; the second in early February; and the third in May to coincide with Reunion Weekend and the Alumni Association's Annual Assembly. The February meeting typically serves as the Board’s annual planning session.  Board meetings usually convene on the Amherst campus, but may sometimes convene in other locations within Massachusetts.

The Executive Committee meets 10 - 12 times per year in central locations within Massachusetts.  The Board’s strategic initiative committees meet 4 - 8 times per year as needed and usually convene via conference call, but may at times meet in person on campus or in central locations within Massachusetts.

Executive Committee

The Executive Committee consists of the six officers, the immediate past president, three at-large members from the Board and the alumni clubs representative and is authorized to act on behalf of the Board of Directors when necessary.

The Executive Committee works in partnership with the Executive Director of the Alumni Association to coordinate the development and implementation of the Alumni Association’s strategic plan and related goals, and formulates recommendations for Board approval and action.  The Executive Committee assists the president in setting agendas for meetings of the Board, establishes membership rates and creates ad hoc committees as may be necessary to meet the needs of the Alumni Association.

Board Committees

Committee work is integral to implementing the Alumni Association’s strategic plan and related goals.  Each year the committees concentrate on issues of strategic importance to the growth and stability of the Alumni Association.  All committees are chaired by members of the Executive Committee and include Board members as well as alumni who have an interest or expertise in a committee’s specific area of focus.  All Board members serve on at least one committee.
The primary responsibilities for all committees are outlined below:

Governance Committees

Audit

  • Oversee selection, retention, evaluation and termination of the Association’s independent auditor
  • Coordinate preparation, certification and disclosure of audited financial statements and tax returns
  • Maintain internal control systems, including critical accounting policies and procedures, information system controls and security, and document retention and destruction policies
  • Monitor risk and liability assessment and management procedures
  • Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
  • Examine governance, ethics and whistle-blowing issues as appropriate

Finance & Investments

  • Develop and manage fiscal and investment policies and operating procedures to ensure the organization’s short and long term financial stability
  • Regularly monitor investment portfolio performance, and coordinate selection and ongoing evaluation of the investment management consultant
  • Oversee administration, collection and disbursement of all financial resources and monitor related accounting transactions
  • Ensure timely and accurate preparation of meaningful management reports and financial statements
  • Prepare and monitor annual operating budget to identify and address potential cash-flow or other financial challenges

Nominating

  • Oversee impartial review and selection of director, officer and executive committee member-at-large nominees
  • Develop recommendations for presidential and committee appointments
  • Recommend standing rule revisions as appropriate to ensure objectivity and transparency in nominations and elections process

Strategic Initiative Committees

Alumni and Student Programs

  • Provide advisory support in the research, identification and strategic development of diverse and high-quality programs across all areas of alumni and student programming
  • Monitor ongoing evaluation process and associated metrics to measure constituent satisfaction and participation, attainment of specific program goals, and fiscal return on investment across all areas of alumni and student programming
  • Educate and engage Board members, AA volunteers and campus partners in supporting local and regional outreach efforts to promote and increase alumni and student participation across all areas of programming
  • Recommend implementation and monitor progress of “expert” committee sub-groups assigned to consider specific programming

Business Development

  • Research, recommend and monitor success of feasible revenue-generating business opportunities at local, regional and national levels
  • Provide advisory support in development of membership campaigns and other fundraising initiatives
  • Support outreach efforts to promote alumni investments, evaluate member satisfaction, and increase alumni participation
  • Identify new affinity partner, sponsor and advertiser prospects through business and alumni contacts
  • Assist in initial outreach to affinity partner, sponsor and advertiser prospects as appropriate

Communications and Marketing

  • Provide advisory support in research, identification and strategic development of diverse and integrated student and alumni communications and technologies
  • Participate in “beta” testing and provide user feedback as appropriate
  • Monitor ongoing evaluation process and associated metrics to measure constituent engagement and participation across various communications and marketing initiatives
  • Recommend implementation and monitor progress of “expert” committee sub-groups assigned to consider specific communications and marketing initiatives

Government Relations & Advocacy

  • Define advocacy and the Association’s role as related to the campus community, state legislature and community at large
  • Identify and develop alumni advocacy programs and associated communications to support Government Relations initiatives
  • Educate and engage campus constituents in supporting local and regional efforts to promote legislative advocacy initiatives as appropriate

Scholarships and Awards

  • Oversee impartial review and selection of all student and alumni scholarship and award recipients
  • Expand outreach efforts to promote scholarships and awards opportunities to a broader and more diverse nominee pool
  • Develop and evaluate success of scholarships and awards recognition programs, promotional communications, and post-award engagement of recipients

Volunteer & Leadership Development

  • Recruit and cultivate a diverse group of qualified and committed student and alumni leaders in all areas of volunteer involvement
  • Campus partner programs
  • Identify, recommend and monitor success of volunteer training tools, resources and recognition programs
  • Develop and evaluate metrics for volunteer satisfaction, engagement and participation
  • Develop recommendations for short and long-term volunteer leadership succession plans across all areas of volunteer involvement
  • Recommend as appropriate nominees for Board of Director elections, Board or committee appointments, scholarship and award recipients, or student and alumni program speakers

Task Forces

Diversity and Inclusion

  • Research and develop definition of diversity and inclusion for Board consideration
  • Provide Board training on diversity and inclusion
  • Develop recommendations to incorporate culture of diversity and inclusion into outreach, engagement, leadership development, programming and communication considerations
  • Develop recommendations to evaluate and monitor success of ongoing diversity and inclusion initiatives

License Plate

  • Research and evaluate alumni, student and parent interest in establishing a special UMass license plate
  • Identify campus or membership based incentives to promote purchase of license plate
  • Develop recommendations as appropriate to design, launch and market license plate
  • Assist with local and regional outreach efforts to campus community members to promote license plate

Signature Event

  • Research and evaluate feasibility of developing a signature alumni event in Boston for Fall 2012
  • Develop proposed logistical and marketing plan for execution and promotion of signature event
  • Identify and recommend potential fundraising and sponsorship opportunities for signature event
  • Assist with initial outreach to event sponsors and advertisers as appropriate
  • Support local and regional outreach efforts to campus community members to promote signature event

Volunteer Code

  • To review and recommend for Board approval revisions to the Volunteer Code of Conduct, Confidentiality and Conflicts of Interest and Review of Board Member and Volunteer Conduct policies