h t t p - West Virginia University

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION 

Strategic Plan 

http://alumni.wvu.edu

Mission 



The WVU Alumni Association serves as a catalyst in 

strengthening West Virginia University's presence 

throughout the world by enhancing communications 

between the University and its alumni and friends; 

facilitating networking opportunities between students; 

providing quality programs and services; and providing a 

common gathering place for alumni, friends, and students 

to share in the Mountaineer spirit, forever connecting 

them to their alma mater. 

Strategic Plan


Vision 

Values 


The WVU Alumni Association strives to provide valuable 

programs and services to alumni and the University. 

• Service—Provide the highest level of service to our 

members, the University, and all alumni. 

• Tradition—Preserve the University’s rich history and 

work to enhance its traditions. 

• Communication—Provide frequent communications to 

alumni and the University and demonstrate a 

commitment to the healthy exchange of ideas. 

• Connectivity—Promote membership as the best way to 

maintain a life-long connection to the University. 

• Quality—Pursue excellence in all programs and services 

we provide. 

• Stewardship—Identify and use resources efficiently and 

remain accountable to all constituents. 

Strategic Plan


The Role of the 

Alumni Board 


• Establish policies, bylaws, and organizational priorities 

• Oversee the financial and capital resources of the 

Association including the organization’s operating 

budget 

• Maintain legal and financial integrity 

• Ensure effective strategic planning 

• Support and assess the work of the Association’s chief 

executive and the board 

• Support the University’s mission and goals, as well as 

the programs of the Association 

• Enhance the image of the Association and the University 

• Seek a unified, well-balanced board that is 

representative of all alumni 

• Identify and cultivate effective leaders for chapters and 

the board of directors 

• Promote membership and event attendance 

• Cultivate and solicit donors to the Association 

• Recommend qualified candidates for alumni awards 

Strategic Plan

The Role of the 

Alumni Staff 



• Achieve annual and strategic goals 

• Carry out the policies and bylaws of the Association 

• Identify sources of revenue and effectively manage the 

organization’s operating budget 

• Effectively manage alumni programs and services 

• Communicate with alumni and engage them in the 

Association’s programs 

• Promote membership and event attendance 

• Cultivate and solicit potential donors and members 

• Develop and foster on- and off-campus relationships 

• Provide operational support for the board and its 

committees 

Strategic Plan


Priorities and Goals 


Priority One — Strengthen the roles of WVU alumni, 

students, and friends in helping to advance the 

University and the Association. 

Goal: Ensure that the organization’s staffing, structure 

and resources are aligned with the goals of WVU. 

• Evaluate the effectiveness of all programs 

• Take a long-term approach to identifying the staffing 

needs of the Association and the alumni center 

• Assess and implement software and hardware needs 

that ensure employee and organizational productivity 

Strategic Plan



Goal: Position the Alumni Association to advance WVU. 

• Enhance opportunities to involve alumni in student 

recruitment 

• Enhance opportunities for alumni to mentor and hire 

graduates 

• Support the University’s comprehensive fund-raising 

campaigns 

Goal: Establish strong financial systems and governance. 

• Reorganize the current committee structure to include: 

(1) Audit and Finance, (2) Programs, Chapters and 

Marketing, (3) Alumni Center, as well as others that are 

identified as needed 

• Expand the functionality of the Executive Committee 

• Create a formalized budget system 

• Continue, through the nominating committee, to 

cultivate prospective board members to fill vacancies 

based on skill-set needs 

• Develop a plan to raise an additional $5 million that will 

be placed in a building endowment 

Strategic Plan



Priority Two — Connect WVU alumni and friends to the 

University and each other. Keeping alumni connected through 

frequent communications will ultimately deliver a bigger and 

better membership. 

Strategic Plan



Goal: Enhance and increase membership in the Alumni 

Association. 

• Set yearly membership goals 

• Give every alumnus/a an opportunity to become a member 

through advertising, the Internet, direct mail, and 

telemarketing 

• Develop and implement constituent services and outreach 

opportunities that encourage alumni participation and 

membership 

• Seek affinity programs that are selected based on value to 

alumni 

• Restructure pricing of membership to incorporate recent 

grads, one-year, five-year, and life members—investigate tax 

deductibility 

• Enhance the annual giving program for Life and Old Gold 

members by developing the “Mountaineers Forever” concept 

• Conduct yearly program audits to ensure constituent needs 

are efficiently and effectively met. 

Strategic Plan



Goal: Enhance the University’s presence throughout the country 

by working with chapters to provide alumni with local 

resources. 

• Develop a list of priorities from and to chapters 

• Conduct a yearly review of each chapter to determine 

effectiveness, set performance goals and identify the special 

needs of individual groups 

• Establish a template for chapter leadership, succession, and 

training of chapter leaders 

• Use on-line capabilities to improve communication and 

training for local chapters 

• Help chapters develop Web sites, when requested 

Goal: Execute effective print and electronic communications. 

• Develop the capability to communicate with alumni when 

they want, where they want and how they want 

• Continue to enhance electronic communication tools to 

complement and/or 

replace traditional print 

mediums 

• Collect e-mail addresses to 

enhance and expand the 

capability to communicate 

online 

• Include all alumni, not just 

members, in the monthly 

E-newsletter 

• Conduct yearly survey to 

determine alumni needs 

and attitudes 

• Perform a professional 

audit to evaluate all 

publications and 

communications vehicles 

used to keep alumni 

connected to WVU 

Strategic Plan



Goal: Engage students for lifetime relationship with WVU. 

• Develop a program for students (seniors) that starts the 

process of demonstrating the value of alumni participation 

• Maintain branding consistency with “Stay connected” for 

recent grads and non-members 

• Enhance the support and strengthen membership in the student 

association 

• Work with Career Services and individual colleges to assist in 

development of a University-wide mentoring program 

Goal: Create a world-class center for alumni and University use. 

• Position the alumni center as a key University destination 

• Use the building to showcase achievements of alumni 

and University 

• Create a staffing plan to meet the needs of the University and 

its alumni 

• Implement a marketing plan that encourages building use by 

alumni, faculty, students, conventions, visitors, and the local 

community 

• Develop a pricing strategy to be competitive and profitable 

• Review the relationship with WVU’s Dining Services annually 

to make sure it meets the needs of the Association and 

building users 

Strategic Plan

h t t p - West Virginia University

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