DARTMOUTH'S ALUMNI RELATIONS

EXCERPTS FROM THE REPORT MADE TO THE TRUSTEES PLANNING COMMITTEE BY THE COMMITTEE ON ALUMNI RELATIONS, FOLLOWING A TWO-YEAR STUDY

Why an Alumni Study?

ONE of the common attitudes that sometimes impede progress are the expressions "Things are going along pretty well so why bother about it," or "There may be some problems but I don't know what can be done about them." Either is a formula for standing still, the first offering no chance of understanding what may be needed and the second stops action in the face of an obstacle - with little chance of surmounting it. A more forward-looking attitude would be to expect the revolving insight to come out of the effort to see more clearly that problems do exist. It is also a reasonable assumption that uncertainty as to how to act upon a problem has its roots in the failure to understand it adequately. Therefore, there have been presented these matters concerning alumni relations that have been stated as problems; namely, alumni contact with the intellectual side of the College, the effectiveness of communications, alumni organization and wider participation of alumni in the work of the College. Whether these are real problems or merely interesting questions is not too important. They offer an approach to stimulate thinkingand speculation as to the place of alumni in the life andwork of the College and what their role for the futureshould be. This is "What the current approach to alumni relations is trying to get at."

The question naturally follows, "Where will it lead us?"

First, it may be profitable to mention what not to expect. From the amount of past study and effort in this field and the present favorable status of the alumni relationship at Dartmouth, it is not reasonable to expect any unusual or startling developments. The progress in any field of human relations is very slow - proceeding from theoretical concepts through a painstaking development process to a point of tested applica- tion. There is no reason to suppose that the process will be materially shortened due to the current study effort. The best it will be able to do is to point out the direction where improvements may be made and with reference to how they might be accomplished.

Nor should it be expected that any amount of study in this field will one day reveal radically new ways or methods of strengthening the bond between the College and the alumni. Neither is it likely that there will be produced any completely developed ideas that will pose important problems of choice. Rather to be expected is that with more study given to the problems covered herein, there will be evolved various ways to make progress. It will make itself felt in the following ways:

The normal process by which alumni relations have improved over a long period of time will be supported:

(1) By a more orderly process of presenting the College purpose, policies, plans and problems to the Dartmouth constituency. By spreading knowledge of its operations wherever such knowledge is welcome so that there will be an informed alumni body accustomed to knowing and dealing with the realities of today's and tomorrow's problems in the field of higher education.

(2) Through a wider participation by alumni in the work of the College - most of it in those activities which each part of the alumni organization - classes, associations, councils, enrollment committees, etc. - is best fitted to do. In this way sharing in the "effort to do better" can be spread to all parts of Dartmouth's domain and can be made available to all alumni who would welcome an opportunity to help strengthen the College position for the future.

The development of alumni leaders in all parts of the alumni organization may be made more effective:

(1) As greater understanding develops out of study and discussion of the function of each of the alumni elements and the part it can play in the effort to improve; as experimental programs help to find ways and reasons that will have a deeper impact on the alumni "conscience." There is some basis for hope that alumni will become more interested in the primacy of the educational aspects of the College and evince a desire to be more of a part of it than now exists.

(2) As it becomes more of a practice for both the College and the alumni to ask searching questions about their own place in the scheme of improving alumni relations, thus opening the way for constructive revision in any of the methods and policies that tend to obstruct or retard its steady growth.

The process by which any ideas developed by this or any further study get used will be much like the way things work out in the normal operation of the College. Evolution will generally be the better approach - and the way alumni relations have developed up to now in Dartmouth is a good example of the process. In other words, the new emphasis on planning should add impetus to the continuing search for improvement, but not basically change existing methods or relationships.

Thus it is hoped that the effort to do better with alumni organization and relations - and with leadership, can be stepped up without the discomforting suggestion of radical or threatening change. But growth is never comfortable. It, too, involves reaching and stretching. But Dartmouth men have never been promised comfort. They have been promised challenge, opportunity - even adventure - and, because of this, Dartmouth has always emerged stronger. This is the hoped-for result of the study venture on alumni relations - hopefully, this is "Where it will lead us."

Nature of the CAR Assignment

The Trustees Planning Committee, in designating "Alumni Organization and Relations" as an area for subcommittee study in conjunction with other studies under its auspices, stated that its assignment would be:

To recommend, with a view to the future, the kind of alumni organization which will best contribute to:

1. The most effective and mutually satisfying two-way relationship between the College and the alumni.

2. The kind of alumni participation in College affairs that will be most helpful to Dartmouth's central purposes, including those in which they are presently engaged....

From the foregoing, CAR interpreted its purpose to be as follows:

A committee composed mainly of alumni to determine ways and means by which the two-way relationship between the College and the alumni can be strengthened and how it may best be served in terms of organization.

An undertaking to examine all phases of alumni organization and relations, with the central educational purposes of the College in the forefront of its thinking, to bring about:

- Better understanding of the alumni relationship

- Closer contact with the intellectual activity of the College

- Alumni organization of greatest possible strength

- Increased participation of alumni in College activities ... so that the most effective and mutually satisfying relationship between the College and alumni will exist when Dartmouth enters her third century.

In short, the committee's main purpose was to develop recommendations which would strengthen the kind of alumni relations that now exist, under changing conditions of the future.

Some Basic Questions

Within the general framework of the TPC directive, each group was left free to develop its program in accordance with its own judgment under the guidance of subgroup chairmen, with over-all direction and coordination exercised by the general chairman.

While virtually all facets of alumni organization and relations were explored, the following questions and comments indicate the scope and nature of the inquiry:

What are the general objectives, achievements, and opportunities of Dartmouth's alumni program?

What are the ways and means whereby alumni can participate more fully and constructively in the affairs of the College, without handicapping, but enhancing, its administration and operation?

What further can be done to have the alumni understand what Dartmouth is trying to accomplish and be sold on what it is doing so that they will not only be receptive to but fully conscious of the all-important part they play in the fulfillment of the College purpose, and continue to willingly provide the moral and financial support essential thereto?

How can alumni use their strength and influence most effectively for the future of the College in the field of enrollment by consciously selling Dartmouth to their friends and neighbors and their sons who are the sort of prospects wanted and needed for future undergraduates?

What can be done to strengthen Dartmouth association and fellowship? Alumni classes and clubs are growing in number, strength, activity, as well as membership, and are playing an increasingly important part in alumni and College affairs. Will they increase in activity, aggressiveness, and effectiveness in the future, given adequate support and leadership?

Out of the no organized alumni clubs throughout the country and abroad, about one-half are functioning in high gear, with multiple activities, keen interest in all the group subjects, excellent enrollment coordination, building scholarship funds, and readiness to stage various activities with College participation. What help is needed to bring new clubs and the other half up to the same standards of performance?

The question of two-way communication between the College and the alumni is of overriding importance. This presents a many-sided problem. How effective are existing media and what new ones can be utilized in the future? This also involves questions of policy and public relations.

Alumni relations within the next fifteen years will need to be greatly strengthened in respect to understanding, and full acceptance, by the alumni throughout their later lives of the primacy of the educational work of the College. How can this be emphasized increasingly as the central objective?

What improvements could be recommended to strengthen the purposes, performance, organization, or personnel in the present alumni organizations? These would include the Board of Trustees, Alumni Council, organizations of class and club officers, standing and ad hoc committees for special projects, and others.

Are there any aspects either in fund raising or other service activities that could be modified to advantage?

How do other colleges carry on their alumni relations? Are there any features of their programs that could be adopted to advantage?