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Augustana College Alumni Association Board meeting May 18, 2019

Augustana College Alumni Association Board meeting May 18, 2019

Present: Kelly Noack, Darien Marion-Burton, Michael Ricaurte, Elizabeth Choporis, Jane  Baker, Jake Glimco, Melissa Shore, Jack Cullen, Tom Collins, John Glimco, Jessica Waytenick, Sarah Lickus, Kent Barnds, Julie Dreixler, Bruce Peterson, Karen Roloff, Loryann Eis and Angie Sharp

The meeting was called to order by Angie Sharp at 9:15 a.m. in the Wilson Center. Acknowledging the board’s initiative to contribute to Stoles for Gratitude for the Augustana Class of 2019, board members introduced themselves and commented on what they would have done had they been given such a stole.

Michael Ricaurte provided the following report for the Philanthropy Committee:

  • Nearly 100% participation by the board
  • Gift average: $1100
  • Alumni board members were asked to take the lead on gifting Stoles for Gratitude
  • Board members were asked to contact at least two alumni and advocate for contributions

Kent Barnds provided the following administrative update:

The board of trustees has reviewed a seven-year budget forecast with focus on potential budgetary shortfalls, demographic changes in the student population, and recruiting priorities

Trustees are studying the college constitution and mission with focus on church relatedness and Lutheran identity. Possible language edits might anticipate administrative leadership changes

Incoming freshman class: 715 first-year students
120 international students (largest feeder nation is Vietnam)
151 American students of color
23 states represented (mainly upper Midwest)
Chicago area recruiting dominates with largest competition coming from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign and the University of Illinois at Chicago

As of April 30, 2019, the AUGUSTANA NOW campaign has secured $95 million in commitments. This does not include the Knowlton challenge grant. End date of campaign is Dec. 31, 2020

To date:  12,000 donors and 59,000 separate gifts

Capital Projects updates and progress reports
Commitments to Bergendoff and Brodahl
Hanson end date is July 1, 2019, (on-time and on-budget)
Anderson Pavilion Theatre completed

In the future (with architectural drawings shared)  Sorenson & Knowlton   Knowlton – need to raise money to receive the challenge grant. Completion date TBD (perhaps spring 2021)

The board meeting proceedings recessed at 10:15 a.m. for committee meetings and reconvened at 12:15 p.m.

Cameron Hall provided the following report about “A Day of Giving” beginning with some trivia questions and a video about the road trip of the “Thank You Mobile”

  • Goal was 1860 donors in 1860 minutes
  • Result was 2160 donors
  • Focus was on the number of donors
  • Total dollars:  $424,600
  • 490 first time donors
  • Strategies employed included “Battle of the Buildings” and “Battle of the Brews”
  • Lower Quad takeover by student population
  • New editions of Augie socks were incentives for contributions
  • Enhanced social media strategies with “teaser” videos and text messages as reminders
  • Hard copy mailings to ”Golden Vikings”/ senior alumni

The board meeting proceedings recessed at 12:45 p.m. and reconvened at 1:20 p.m. at which time the business meeting was called to order.

The minutes of the fall 2018 mMeeting were approved without objection. The minutes/meeting notes from the May 14, 2019, conference call involving officers and committee chairs were shared and received without comment.

Tom Collins provided the following report for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee:

  • Goal is to build on momentum generated from the 50th reunion of the Black Student Union celebrated at Homecoming 2018
  • Establish a social event in Chicago during the summer of 2019 with a focus on mentoring and internships
  • Recognize the disconnect that occurs between students of color and the college following graduation and the need to re-engage those students
  • Stage an on-campus event to celebrate the anniversary of the Black Power symposium (date of this event is uncertain) and re-engage the alumni involved with the 50th reunion of the BSU to assist with the planning of the anniversary event

Angie Sharp (substituting for Dale Owens) provided the following report for the Career Development Committee:

  • A chair is needed for  this committee
  • Laura Kestner-Ricketts and Erica Ewert from CORE attended the committee meeting and shared the following (CORE documents are appendices to these meeting notes/minutes);

There are staff vacancies in the CORE office
The Viking Score card has been reinstated
On-campus employer recruitment will be increased
“Handshake” (an online bulletin board for job postings) is used
CORE also uses “Linkedin” and “Roadtrip Nation”
A national alumni survey is being considered

  • The committee will connect with GOLD council and recruit Chicago-based alumni to assist with a fall interview day for accounting majors
  • The committee proposes to name the Career Development Award “The Viking Vocation Award” and to describe it as follows:  “The Viking Vocation Award recognizes individuals, businesses and/or organizations who support, contribute to, and advance the career success of past, present, or future students of Augustana College.”

The committee moved the appropriate changes in the By-Laws (Article VI, Section 2, Paragraph C, Sentence 1) to delete language regarding the Outstanding Service Award and replace it with language above about the Viking Vocation Award. The two motions (name and description) passed without objection.

Elizabeth Choporis provided the following report for the Affinity Building Committee:

  • Based on success with on-campus “last” events, the committee proposes to replicate with “first” events for incoming students, includi  “First Lecture," a class pin given to each student, class walk around campus and class photo forming “A” on football field.
  • The committee will connect with GOLD Council to plan events to engage with younger alumni for networking and career development such as Ravinia and micro-brew events
  • The committee will assist with planning events featuring Shelby Olson prior to “Winter In The Windy City”
  • The committee will investigate planning “Twilight Tours” on campus for younger alumni and families that include photo opportunities

Sarah Lickus provided the following report from the Committee on Nominations and Awards:

  • The committee recommends the following award recipients for 2019:

Outstanding Service: Norm Moline
Outstanding Achievement: Bill Farrow
Richard A. Swanson Humanitarian: George and Beth Drost
Finest Under Forty: Derek Strom
Honorary Alumnus:  Matt Fitzsimmons
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:  Lydia Ruelas Duran
The committee moved for acceptance of this slate of award recipients.  The motion passed without objection.

  • The committee recommends the following new board members for terms beginning at the Fall, 2019 meeting:

Daniel Allen - 1987 Destany Metcalf - 2014
Zubair Ansari – 2000 Vanessa Schmitt - 1993
Lindsey Cannata – 2013 Lori Spencer - 1973
Zacary George – 2008 Alternates:  Gregory Mason - 1985
Patrick Hunt – 2002 Gary Fairchild - 1974 
Richard Jensen – 1974
The committee moved for acceptance of this slate of new board members. Following discussion, the motion passed without objection.

  • The committee will consider changes in the process of selecting student members of the Alumni Board and recommend changes prior to the fall 2019 alumni board meeting.

The following board members self-nominated for officer positions for the 2019-2020 period:

  • Jake Glimco – vice president
  • Hannah Sundwall – secretary

Their election was approved without objection.

Angie Sharp announced that the following board members have accepted appointments for a second three-year term on the board of directors:

Elizabeth Choporis
Loryann Eis
Jake Glimco
Sarah Lickus
Michel Ricaurte
Karen Roloff

Angie Sharp recognized the service of retiring alumni board members: Bruce Peterson served for two full terms and Jack Cullen served for one term.  Angie Sharp also recognized the service of the following advisory board members who served for the 2018-2019 term:  John Glimco, Sheryl O’ Bryan Johnson, Dale Owen and Jessica Waytenick.

Save the dates

Fall 2019 meetings: 7 p.m., Thursday Oct. 3, 2019
Friday October 4, 2019 - all day
Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019, Breakfast, Awards Brunch, Homecoming picnic, football

Spring 2020 TENTATIVE: Tuesday, May 4, 2020 and Wednesday May 5

The meeting adjourned at 3:05 p.m.

Augustana Magazine

Aykeem Spivey

→ READ the latest issue of the Augustana magazine.