HOW OTHER ALUMNI DO IT

Results of a Questionaire on Problems of Alumni Organization

How does the other fellow do it? That seems to be a favorite question in this independent and resourceful age. The other fellow is not always frank with his answers; but colleges have no secrets. Possibly they are rather glad of opportunity for commiseration, and in taking comfort to themselves from learning the woes of others. In fact, it is whispered that there are institutions which keep one officer constantly employed in answering questionaires from other colleges and in preparing and sending forth new sets of queries on his own account.

Mr. H. M.Harwood, the alumni secretary of the University of lowa, however, has recently done a bit of work that should win him the sincere thanks of all college men who have interested themselves in alumni organization. Some months since, he sent out a questionaire on alumni methods to something more than half a hundred fellow secretaries. From the fifty-three who responded, he tabulated the answers, and rendered report to each man who had assisted him with information.

While not all of the material in this report is of immediate interest to Dartmouth alumni, so much of it points to common experience as to make considerable excerpts well worth while. At the outset it may be noted that the institutions represented are: Arkansas, Amherst, Chicago, Colorado, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Denver, Florida, George Washington, Georgia, Harvard, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, lowa, Johns Hopkins, Kansas, Agricultural College Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Miami, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, California, Nebraska, Nevada, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Oberlin, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Pittsburg, Princeton, South Dakota, Stanford, Syracuse, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Williams, Wisconsin, Worcester, Wyoming, Vermont, and Virginia.

The questions here reprinted are those originally propounded. The summarized answers are here given as in Mr. Harwood's report, except that, in some cases, abridgment has been made by the omission of statements restricted in their application. THE MAGAZINE makes occasional comment between brackets.

"1. If you have an alumni association what are its dues and what per cent of your graduates and former students pay the dues?"

Seventeen had no organization, but of this number many carried on effective work among the alumni through boards and secretaries.

The dues of the associations, where there were organizations, ranged from 50c. to $5 annually. Two reports cave' 50c. as their dues; fifteen charged SI; one, $1.25; six, $2; two, $3 ; one, $3.75; and two, $5. Among these, one included a subscription to the alumni magazine with the dues, and two allowed the members to subscribe what they wished to the fund of the association. (In the last case the averages were given as the amount of the dues.)

Seventeen reported that less than twenty-five per cent of their alumni were members of the association. Ten had a membership of between twenty-five and fifty per cent, while one lone college reported ninety-five per cent. At Michigan the members pay $1.50 annually, or $5 for seven years for a life membership, and Nevada had a plan to pay SI each year for ten years when a life membership is given At Idaho the fee is $1, but none of the members pay the fee At Wyoming and Virginia the dues were 50c.-at Wyoming 50 per cent were members of the association, while at Virginia there were only 10 per cent members.

[Dartmouth has no dues, but makes requests for contributions as needed. All alumni of three years standing are members of the association whether thev like it or not.]

"2. Do you include all former students as well as graduates in your alumni association?"

There is a marked tendency m American colleges and universities to have an association composed of both graduates and former students—not graduates alone. Many of the secretaries stated that the change had been made within the last few months.

Twenty-five institutions, or 47.1 per cent allow former students to "become members of their associations. Degrees are required in twenty-two of the colleges -41.5 per cent. Six, or the remaining 11.4 per cent, made their former students associate members (not allowed to vote). Almost all of the institutions admitting former students required attendance for at least one year.

One alumni association put the restrictions of membership upon the local alumni associations, and anyone reported by them for membership became a member. One or two colleges conferred membership on former students by a vote. Others gave honorary membership for distinctive service to the college or to the state.

"3. What is the circulation of your alumni magazine? (State whether weekly, monthly, or quarterly.)"

The monthly magazines totalled 48 per cent. The weeklies and quarterlies tied for second place with 26 per cent each.

Seven magazines, gave 3,000 as their circulation; five as 1,000; four as less than 1,000; three as 1,500; four as 2,000; one as 2,500; one as 5,000; one as 5,500; one as 7,000; and two as 8,000. The largest circulation came from N orthwestern—13,500.

Three alumni associations cooperate with the student paper for which many of the alumni are subscribers. One association sends the paper to their members at the expense of the association. Two of the alumni magazines are financed by private corporations.

"4. What percentage is this of the total number of graduates and former students from your institution?"

This question produced a variety of answers, from which it was hard to compile comprehensive data.

In many cases the subscription list was partially made up of many copies sent to libraries and high schools to advertise the institution. In many instances it was impossible to more than estimate the number of former students.

Seven reports said that the magazine was sent to all graduates free, either being paid for by popular subscription or sent as a bulletin of the institution.

Thnee reports stated that the subscription list was less than 10 per cent of the total number of graduates and former students. One gave l2½ Der cent; another gave 15 per cent; a third gave 25 per cent; two said 30 per cent; five gave 20 per cent; six gave 33 1-3 per cent; and one capped the climax with 50 per cent.

"5. What percentage of your subscription list is paid in advance?"

Twenty-seven answered this question (not including those where the magazine was sent free to members of the association). The answers varied all the way from none at all to the entire subscription list. Six reported that all their members paid in advance, while three stated that none of their subscribers paid in advance. Four reported not many; one reported nearly all; three reported 50 per cent; three, 80 per cent; two, 10 per cent; one, l2½ per cent; one, 20 per cent; one, 70 per cent; and One, 75 per cent.

"6. What method do you find most effective in collecting subscriptions?"

There were twenty-one answers to this question. Two-thirds of these said that they used a statement and a letter. One asserted that enclosing bills in the magazines proved effective.

"7. Do you have a homecoming in the fall? If so, how largely attended?" Twenty per cent had homecomings. Many of those who did not, stated that they concentrated on bringing back the alumni at commencement. Many had reunions at the alma mater in the spring —in February or March. Some had reunions of the alumni in larger cities of the state at stated times during the year. Very few gave figures on attendance at the homecoming which could be considered accurate.

"8. Do you have mid-winter meetings of alumni throughout your state, such as county-club reunions and other like gatherings ? Do you believe in this system?"

The answers to this question were hard to classify. Nineteen institutions held reunions throughout the state which were supposed to be- for all the alumni. Eleven answered "no" to the question. Association meetings were held by twelve of the schools; that is the alumni associations in the large cities and in stated districts called meetings of their own. Only one institution expressed itself as against the plan, although Kansas, which has such gatherings, said that the benefit was doubtful. Eighteen were in favor of the plan and the remainder expressed no opinion. "9. Is the compensation of the alumni secretary paid entirely by the alumni ?"

Forty-seven answered this question. In twenty instances the entire salary is paid by the alumni. In sixteen instances the secretary obtained no compensation.

In five cases a part of the compensation was paid by the alumni and the rest by the university. In two cases the salary of the secretary was paid by the alumni, but the university furnished the clerical help.

The university hired the alumni secretary in four of the schools reporting.

[This item is of interest in view of the present agitation of Dartmouth alumni for the establishing of an alumni secretaryship.]

"10. .What do you consider the best attraction to bring the alumnus back at commencement?"

Several did not answer this question. Six said they did not know. Seventeen expressed a preference for class reunions. Six institutions found that many attractions, suited to the different tastes of the graduates,—athletic contests, speeches; plays, and banquets,—were the most attractive features. Three said that a baseball game coupled with a banquet was the most attractive feature they had found. Two suggested a banquet for the alumni. Several other attractions were mentioned. Colorado stages a football game. The other suggestions were: a program, a class play on the campus, alumni day, a good speaker, and a prize for the largest reunion class. A free dinner brought the alumni back at one college.

DANIEL WEBSTER From the painting by Ames, in the possession of the College