ISU Alumni Association Strategic Plan 2006-2009: Building for Tomorrow

VISION STATEMENT
To become the lifetime partner in engaging all alumni, students, and friends with Iowa State University

MISSION STATEMENT
To engage the talents and resources of alumni, students, and friends in the life, work, and aspiration of Iowa State University

PRIORITY 1: Connect Iowa State University alumni and friends to the university and to each other

Goal 1: Execute effective print and electronic communication

• Increase the number of accurate member e-mail addresses from 50% to 60%
• Actively engage ISU News Flash readership
• Enhance the broadcast e-mail delivery system
• Enhance and expand the features of the online community
• Collaborate with colleges, admissions, athletics, foundation, extension, and other strategically identified campus units to most effectively communicate with constituents
• Market and promote the Association through consistent, high-quality visual communications
• Decrease the number of "lost" member addresses from 241 to 120
• Track and record the number of hits received on the ISUAA Web site
• Increase frequency of communication with non-members

Goal 2: Position the Alumni Center as an indispensable tool for engagement

• Position the Alumni Center as a key university destination
• Make the Alumni Center a premier showplace for university traditions
• Create a communications/marketing plan for the Alumni Center directed toward alumni and friends
• Establish guidelines for member/non-member use of the Alumni Center

Goal 3: Enhance and increase membership in the Iowa State University Alumni Association

• Set a new membership goal by January 2007
• Build and expand member benefits
• Increase the number of New Grad members from 1,000 to 1,800
• Increase the number of registered families in the Legacy Program from 8,567 to 9,500
• Promote membership at the college level and through other university units
• Increase annual member retention rate from 84% to 86%
• Increase the number of Sustaining Life participants from 600 to 1,000

Goal 4: Provide enhanced engagement opportunities

• Define how we measure engagement
• Increase annual non-member attendance at events from 735 to 1,500
• Increase new graduate/new location welcome receptions from three to 15
• Increase the number of ISU Alumni Association clubs from 30 to 35
• Increase Connection Cities from 22 to 50
• Explore and define our volunteer opportunities
• Increase the number of Special Interest Societies from five to 20
• Explore and establish a Young Alumni Council
• Increase student participation in the Legacy Migration from 149 to 200
• Track and increase College for Seniors participation in the Alumni Association
• Track and increase ISU Retirees Association (ISURA) participation in the Alumni Association

Goal 5: Enhance overall diversity efforts

• Increase under-represented populations in five selected outreach programs
• Represent defined areas of diversity in all communication pieces
• Seek diversity in defined areas for all award nomination pools

PRIORITY 2: Engage students for a lifetime relationship with Iowa State University

Goal 1: Strengthen and increase membership in the Student Alumni Association

• Increase SAA membership from 5,000 to 6,000
• Increase retention of SAA membership from freshman to sophomore years from 45% to 55%
• Track and increase inclusion of ethnic minority groups among SAA membership
• Increase the number of Cyclone Alley members whoa re also SAA members from 70% to 80%

Goal 2: Strengthen outreach and engagement efforts toward graduating students

• Develop and implement an outreach program directed toward graduating seniors and new graduates
• Increase the percentage of graduating SALC members who become ISUAA members from 52% to 75%
• Increase the percentage of graduating multi-year SAA members who become New Grad members from 30% to 40%
• Increase memberships annually generated at the Grad Fair from 101 to 200
• Increase attendance at the Life 490 Conference from 85 to 250
• Increase the percentage of first-year graduates who become New Grad members from 6.5% to 13%

Goal 3: Increase and promote diversity within each SALC committee

• Create partnerships with a minimum of five strategically selected organizations across campus for participation in various campus-wide activities
• Represent defined areas of diversity in all communication pieces
• Increase defined areas of diversity within SALC to reflect overall undergraduate student body percentages

Goal 4: Increase student awareness of the ISU Alumni Association

• Create an ISU Alumni Association awareness campaign

Goal 5: Develop and promote a culture of leadership within SALC and across the Iowa State University campus

• Create an SALC training and education program
• Investigate the creation of an all-campus leadership conference in partnership with strategically selected campus organizations
• Track and promote current students who are or were SALC members who receive campus awards

Goal 6: Position the Alumni Center as an indispensable tool for engagement

• Build awareness and showcase the facility to students

PRIORITY 3: Position the Iowa State University Alumni Association to advance Iowa State University

Goal 1: Ensure the organization's staffing structure and resources are well aligned with the long-range goals of the university and the Association

• Evaluate organization and program effectiveness
• Create and implement a long-term staffing plan, especially as it relates to the Alumni Center
• Evaluate the office climate
• Establish a professional development plan

Goal 2: Enhance the technological health of the organization

• Assess individual and organizational current and long-term software and hardware needs
• Develop a query management plan
• Develop a technology training program

Goal 3: Strengthen the financial health of the organization

• Grow the present fiscal year $3.07 million budget by a minimum of 4% annually
• Reallocate each year's annual budget by a minimum of 2%
• Grow the Traditions Keeper endowment from $2 million to $5 million
• Increase funds in the Operating Reserve from $3.5 million to $4.25 million
• Develop a plan to increase the Alumni Center Endowment from $2 million to $5 million
• Establish and monitor rolling three- to five-year budgets

Goal 4: Broaden and enhance strategic partnerships, internally and externally

• Increase the revenues from, and enhance the relationships with, corporate and affinity partners
• Investigate new relationships with corporate and affinity partners
• Create a plan to strengthen and grow relationships with university and community units based on the priorities of the Iowa State University strategic plan

Goal 5: Strengthen the roles Iowa State University alumni, students, and friends play in helping advance the university and the Association

• Enhance opportunities to involve alumni in student, faculty, and staff recruitment and retention initiatives
• Provide engagement opportunities through the Alliance for ISU
• Ensure a smooth transition of the College for Seniors and ISU Retirees Association to the ISUAA as constituent programs
• Support the university's 150th anniversary through events and communication
• Support the university's comprehensive fundraising campaign

Goal 6: Position the Alumni Center as an indispensable tool for engagement

• Support the university's priorities through Alumni Center displays
• Create a marketing plan directed toward faculty and staff
• Showcase university and alumni achievements
• Provide a quality destination for events
• Establish the Alumni Center as a key venue to advance the campus experience