Each fall the Nominations Committee of the Hamilton Alumni Association presents the Alumni Council with nominees to fill three positions on the Board of Trustees. After considering a lengthy list of potential nominees and assessing indicators of effective trusteeship including volunteer experience, professional expertise and representation of varied alumni demographic groups, George Baker '74, Nancy Roob '87 and Torrence Moore '92 were nominated. The 51 members of the Alumni Council present at the October 14, 2006, plenary session voted unanimously to approve the slate, and George, Nancy and Torrence became the Alumni Council candidates. Prior to the meeting Benjamin Wu '73 and Peter Brown '73 fulfilled the necessary petition threshold of 25 alumni signatures and became candidates as well - necessitating an alumni-wide election. It is now time for alumni to exercise their franchise by voting.
Casting a vote is a meaningful and direct way to engage in the governance of one's alma mater. The 246-member Alumni Council is the representative body that directly serves alumni interests. Council members are available to answer questions about the election. The Board of Trustees places significant value on the input of alumni, hence the empowerment of the Alumni Association to elect members to the board. Once elected, Alumni Trustees are obliged to serve the broad interests of the College and manage the fiduciary accountabilities of the institution, not just those of alumni. The importance of the position is self-evident, which is why alumni participation is so important.
There are many ways alumni become involved in the life of the College. Some are volunteer roles, some are elected offices and some are as simple as attending College events on and off the Hill. The most common way alumni choose to be involved is through a gift to Hamilton, which furthers the educational opportunity of students who will one day join the ranks of alumni. Each approach is effective, and each adds value to the alumni and the College. Hamilton alumni are fully enfranchised, but for these benefits to be realized participation is required. Without direct involvement, discussions of alumni governance risk becoming theoretical. Practical, day-to-day oversight and governance of alumni organizations flow directly from alumni who choose to get involved.
Please exercise your right and vote in the Alumni Trustee election. In that way, alumni enfranchisement becomes real through practice rather than a rhetorical construct.
Mark Rice '73
President, Alumni Association and Chair, Alumni Council
Two groups of highly selective, small liberal arts colleges and universities have developed a series of measurements to gauge the effectiveness of their alumni relations efforts. Of the twenty-five schools who responded to the survey, Hamilton's 246-member Alumni Council is, by a wide margin, the most inclusive. More ...
There are many ways alumni become involved in the life of the College. Some are volunteer roles, some are elected offices and some are as simple as attending College events on and off the Hill. The most common way alumni choose to be involved is through a gift to Hamilton, which furthers the educational opportunity of students who will one day join the ranks of alumni. Each approach is effective, and each adds value to the alumni and the College. Hamilton alumni are fully enfranchised, but for these benefits to be realized participation is required. Without direct involvement, discussions of alumni governance risk becoming theoretical. Practical, day-to-day oversight and governance of alumni organizations flow directly from alumni who choose to get involved.
Please exercise your right and vote in the Alumni Trustee election. In that way, alumni enfranchisement becomes real through practice rather than a rhetorical construct.
Mark Rice '73
President, Alumni Association and Chair, Alumni Council
