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Alumni Relations

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Strategic Plan

2008-2010

Mission Statement

The mission of the Indiana University Kokomo Alumni Association is to serve as the bridge to connect our alumni, campus, and community.

Introduction and Purpose

The Indiana University Kokomo Alumni Association was chartered in 1974, and has served the campus, its alumni and students through programming, celebrations, student scholarships, and philanthropic endeavors throughout its history. Additionally, the IUKAA has supported and served Indiana University and the Indiana University Alumni Association at large through various avenues. In the last year, both the IU Kokomo campus and the Indiana University Alumni Association have created new strategic plans. In order to continue to be a viable organization and to be able to support both the campus and the IUAA to the best of our ability, the IUKAA Board of Directors undertook a strategic planning process to map out the course of the organization for the next two years that will compliment both the campus’ and IUAA’s strategic initiatives, while maintaining our focus to fulfill our mission of serving as the bridge to connect our alumni, campus and community. Documents referenced in the development of this plan were the IUKAA Mission Statement, the IU Kokomo “2007-2011 Strategic Plan Knowledge that Works”, the IU Alumni Association “Strategic Plan 2008 and Beyond”, and a history of IUKAA activities and programs 2002-2008. It is the intention of the Board of Directors that this be a fluid document, and that as new campus and/or university initiatives are undertaken, additions and/or updates to this plan will be considered and implemented as needed.

IUKAA History

The Kokomo campus of Indiana University was founded in 1945, with classes held in the former Seiberling Mansion on West Sycamore Street, just west of downtown Kokomo. The program grew until a formal two-year education program was established. The present campus held its first classes on September 17, 1965, coinciding with the granting of the first Associate Degree from IU Kokomo. The first four-year degree was granted from IU Kokomo in 1970.

The IU Kokomo Alumni Association was chartered in 1974 as a constituent society of the Indiana University Alumni Association. The purpose of the IUKAA mirrors the purpose of the parent Association:

to provide a conduit for Indiana University (and specifically the Kokomo campus) alumni to be of continued service to the university;
to assist with IU Kokomo activities;
to sponsor and participate in appropriate non-profit activities that benefit and promote IU Kokomo its students and alumni, and enhances the image of the institution in the community;
to recognize outstanding students and alumni for significant community service (including service to IU Kokomo).

Strategic Goals

Assist IU Kokomo with increasing annual fall enrollment to 3,010 by 2011;
Establish and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships both internally and externally;
Build meaningful and long-lasting relationships with alumni and friends to foster loyalty and connections with each other, the alumni association and the university and enhance the visibility of the IUKAA and the campus in our service area; increase membership in the IUKAA to 15% by June 30, 2010;
Serve the university and its diverse alumni, students and friends by promoting diversity within the IUKAA and assisting the campus with diversity initiatives;
Engage IU Kokomo students in alumni programming and engage them with the IUKAA during their time as students on our campus;
Support future alumni by offering monetary aid in the form of scholarships to IU Kokomo students.

Strategic Plan

Strategic Goal 1: Assist IU Kokomo with increasing annual fall enrollment to 3,010 by 2011.

Action Steps:

Meet with IU Kokomo Admissions staff and Office of Communications and Marketing staff to discuss ways in which the IUKAA can assist in student recruitment
Timeline: September, 2008
Resources needed: cooperation from Admissions and OCM
Outcomes: ideas for the development of a plan to utilize alumni in assisting with student recruitment
Responsible: Liz Douglass and Bob Hayes
Develop a plan for assisting with student recruitment Timeline: December, 2008
Resources needed: TBA after meeting with Admissions and OCM
Outcomes: plan with timelines, resources identified and areas of responsibilities outlined; implementation of the plan to begin January 2009 (provided that is ok with Admissions)
Responsible: Liz Douglass
Develop an IUKAA Speaker’s Service to assist with introducing potential students to IU Kokomo and degree programs; enhance visibility in our service area Timeline: February, 2008
Resources needed: List of potential alumni participants, funding to promote the Service, volunteer and staff time to recruit participants, staff time to compile, maintain, and keep current the speaker’s list
Outcomes: increased visibility of IU Kokomo alumni in our service region, active participation in student recruitment, increased advocacy among graduates on behalf of the campus.
Responsible: Liz Douglass

Strategic Goal 2: Establish and maintain mutually beneficial partnerships both internally and externally

Action Steps:

Identify who current, active partners are Timeline: October, 2008
Resources needed: volunteer/staff time
Outcomes: Benchmark/starting point for assessment of who our partners are
Responsible: Cheryl Schlemmer
Identify potential new partners and partners that we need to re-engage
Timeline: December, 2008
Resources needed: volunteer/staff time
Outcomes: List of potential new partners to contact and engage to further advance all areas of the strategic plan
Responsible: Cheryl Schlemmer
Develop a plan to engage all partners
Timeline: February, 2009
Resources needed: Volunteer/staff time, funding to cover any expenses associated with recruitment of and/or engagement of partners
Outcomes: a working plan to engage partners in assisting with the fulfillment of other strategic goals, increased visibility within the campus and the community
Responsible: Cheryl Schlemmer

Strategic Goal 3: Build meaningful and long-lasting relationships with alumni and friends to foster loyalty and connections with each other, the alumni association and the university; increase membership in the IUKAA to 15% by June 30, 2010.

Action Steps

Appoint a membership committee
Timeline: September, 2008
Resourced needed: none
Outcomes: committee charged with developing a plan to reach goal of increasing membership to 15% by 6/30/2010
Responsible: Bob Hayes
Develop a 2-year plan to achieve membership goal
Timeline: December, 2008
Resources needed: volunteer/staff time
Outcomes: strategic plan for increasing membership in the IUKAA; increased membership
Responsible: Membership committee
Implementation of membership 2-year plan
Timeline: Beginning January 2009, ongoing
Resources needed: TBD when plan is complete
Outcomes: increased membership; increased visibility, increase in program funding
Responsible: Membership committee, IUKAA Board
Review of current and past IUKAA programming
Timeline: October, 2008
Resources needed: staff/volunteer time
Outcomes: Benchmark of where programming currently is; identify programs that need to be dropped/modified, identify areas where programming is lacking
Responsible: IUKAA Board
Develop programming for alumni to foster active engagement with the campus and the alumni association as well as with one another throughout the IU Kokomo service area
Timeline: Ongoing
Resources needed: volunteer/staff time; funding (amts dependent upon specific programs); marketing
Outcomes: new relationships between alumni, alumni and IUKAA, alumni and the campus, and alumni and their communities; increased membership, enhanced visibility throughout our service area
Responsible: Programming Committee
Develop and implement a 10,000 living alumni celebration
Timeline: 2009-10 academic year
Resources needed: volunteer/staff time, funding for various programs, marketing of various events included in the celebration, cooperation of the campus and IUAA
Outcomes: increased visibility for both the IUKAA and campus throughout our service region, re-engagement of alumni, increased membership
Responsible: Deanna Crispen and Bob Hayes, Steering Committee, alumni relations staff

Strategic goal 4: Serve the university and its diverse alumni, students and friends by promoting diversity within the IUKAA and assisting the campus with diversity initiatives

Action Steps

Meet with Admissions office staff to determine how the IUKAA might assist in recruitment of diverse students to IU Kokomo
Timeline: September 2008
Resources needed: volunteer/staff time
Outcomes: ideas on how we can engage alumni in recruitment of students from under-represented groups; increased visibility
Responsible: Bob Hayes and Liz Douglass
Assist with the re-establishment of a Neal-Marshall chapter in our service area
Timeline: March, 2009
Resources needed: cooperation with the IU Neal-Marshall Alumni Club; volunteer/staff time; funding for programming/marketing of chapter
Outcomes: increased membership with greater diversity in that increase, greater visibility, diverse group from which to recruit volunteers for student leadership program
Responsible: Membership Committee, Bob Hayes
Maintain inclusiveness within the Board of Directors of the IUKAA
Timeline: Ongoing
Resources needed: none
Outcomes: a Board of Directors that is representative of all of our graduates, and that leads by example
Responsible: IUKAA Board of Directors
Present inclusiveness and diversity in IUKAA programs and publications
Timeline: Ongoing
Resources needed: none
Outcomes: Increased awareness of our diverse alumni populations; increased visibility to our diverse audience
Responsible: IUKAA Board of Directors and alumni relations office staff
Assist the campus in the recruitment of diverse students, faculty and staff by serving on search and screen committees for Deans and senior administrators when asked
Timeline: Ongoing
Resources needed: volunteer time
Outcomes: alumni participation in the search and screen process; increased alumni engagement with the campus
Responsible: Bob Hayes (to meet with Chancellor Green to discuss possibilities of alumni participation)
Host an international event/festival
Timeline: 2009-10 academic year
Resources needed: volunteer/staff time, event plan, funding for marketing and event expenses, cooperation of campus community
Outcomes: Enhanced visibility with alumni and communities in our service area, help prepare students to live in a diverse and multi-cultural world
Responsible: Amanda Jolliffe

Strategic goal 5: Engage IU Kokomo students in alumni programming and engage them with the IUKAA during their time as students on our campus

Action Steps

Re-establish the Student Alumni Association on campus
Timeline: October, 2009
Resources needed: volunteer/staff time
Outcomes: a core group of students to participate in student alumni programming, increased visibility; introduction of the alumni association and programs before students leave campus, increased membership upon graduation
Responsible: Cheryl Schlemmer, IUKAA Board, SAA President
Distribute Code of Responsibilities to new students and to new graduates
Timeline: Ongoing
Resources needed: funding for printing of Code; cooperation of UDIV for distribution of Code at New Student Convocation; cooperation of Registrar’s Office to insert Code into diploma covers
Outcomes: increased visibility, enhanced image of the IUKAA
Responsible: Alumni Relations office staff
Develop a leadership program for SAA members
Timeline: March, 2009
Resources needed: volunteer/staff time, funding for program expenses, marketing
Outcomes: value added for SAA membership; increased visibility on campus, engagement of alumni/community partners with students
Responsible: Cheryl Schlemmer and SAA President
Continue to fund the IU Kokomo Alumni Association Scholarship Endowment to provide financial assistance to IU Kokomo students
Timeline: ongoing
Resources needed: fundraising programs to further fund endowment (the scholarship endowment was funded with $10,000 in the spring of 2008), marketing of scholarship availability
Outcomes: greater visibility with IU Kokomo students, fostering stronger relationships with scholarship recipients and the IUKAA, assisting deserving students in the pursuit of their IU degree
Responsible: IUKAA Board of Directors

Approved and adopted by the IUKAA Board of Directors September 16, 2008.