Alumni Council Meeting Minutes Summaries
OCT 2020
October 2, 2020 Alumni Council Meeting Summary
- Discussed progress on the website and logistics about paying for it. Justin will get final figures to us by early next Friday (10/9)
- Discussed the roles and responsibilities of Alumni Council members during Alumni Weekend next week. Kailina will get the schedule of assignments to us before the Weekend starts (10/9).
- Discussed the priorities and goals of the Council in the coming year, specifically how Dechen can serve us in his new role as Associate Director of Development at Goddard. Throughout the next month, the Council will communicate about how we want to receive updates from Dechen about the College (schedule, format, etc). We will share this plan with Mary and Dechen when they join the Council at November’s meeting.
- Pirate ships, two drinks at lunch, and ABBA karaoke.
- Said BIG GOODBYE to our dearest and best facilitator, Rebecca Heimel. We will miss having her on the Council.
NOV 2020
- Development Office staff joined us to give updates on the College, including plans for scholarship funds, their hopes for how the Alumni Council would partner with the College, and offering support for the Alumni Orientations at graduations that we have been coordinating independently.
- Amanda Lacson and Casey Caronna announce that they are launching a podcast to highlight Goddard alumni work in the world.
- Kailina Mills shared that Admissions is finally willing to partner on an Alumni Ambassador program, and that will be launching in January.
- Justin Kagan reported back to us about his role on the Academic Redesign committee.
DEC 2020
- The Alumni Council welcomed all newly elected members. New members chose committee assignments for the year.
- The Alumni in Praxis committee updated us on the Goddard in the World podcast and the launch of the Antiracist Learning Circle.
- Alumni Weekend committee shared that they will begin planning meetings at the beginning of January for Alumni Weekend 2021.
- The Council planned for their upcoming meeting with President Bernard Bull (Dec 7).
- Justin Kagan shared that Ju-Pong Lin (a program director) was seeking alumni input on the Digital Futures Committee’s plans for online learning at Goddard.
JAN 2021
- Kris Hege announced the launch of the Quire Journal for the Goddard Graduate Institute.
- Kailina Mills shared that on Dec. 17, Gloria Willingham-Toure (Chair of the Board of Trustees) asked for an Alumni Council rep on the Presidential Search Committee. However, when Kailina inquired within 3 hours about the approximate time commitment of this role, since Council members are volunteers, Gloria never responded. Kailina will reach back out to Gloria for follow-up. We took a poll of who on the Council might be interested in serving in this role so that we know if/when we hear back from Gloria.
FEB 2021
- Kailina Mills shared that the Development Office has now provided us with a tijmeline for Goddard eNews blasts so that we can get our announcements to them beforehand and so that we can plan the timing of our communications more effectively.
- Casey Caronna and Amanda Lacson update us on the progress of the Goddard in the World podcast. They have already interviewed 6 guests and will be ready to launch by the end of February.
- Rachel Economy shared about the launch of the Small Business Circle. They have gathered a list of alumni who may be interested in participating and will be reaching out to them soon.
- The Policy and Communications Committee shared about their progress writing the MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) to formalize our partnership with the College.
- Alumni Weekend committee announced the confirmed dates for 2021’s event.
- Enrollment and Recruitment Committee shared that they held their first training session for Alumni Ambassadors.
- Data and Research Committee polled us about our priorities for the website development in the next six months.
MAR 2021
- Update on Podcast launch.
- Update on Quire Journal submissions.
- Update on submissions for logo competition for Alumni Weekend. Alumni Weekend committee also shared about change in weekend format to have 4 keynote speakers instead of the 30-minute mini-conferences that we’ve had previously.
- Kailina Mills shares about how Alumni Orientations at graduations work. Other Council members express interest in learning how to give a similar presentation at their program’s residency.
- The Council votes to approve draft of MOU and send it to admin.
- Amanda Lacson suggests creating social media platforms for the Alumni Association to share news/projects/updates.
APR 2021
- Kailina Mills shares that both Dustin Byerly and Tina Bates-Baldera resigned from the Council this week because they both had other obligations that were preventing them from spending enough time on Council work. This leaves us with no members on the Fundraising Committee. She also shares that admin has not responded to their MOU draft even though it was sent over a week ago. She will follow up.
- The Council discusses what happens if a Council member becomes a faculty member (or other position designated in our bylaws as a conflict of interest) after they are elected to the Council. It is decided that, in such an event, the Council member can complete their term on the Council as a non-voting member.
- Kris Hege gives us an update on the Presidential Search process.
- Alumni Weekend committee is still searching for Keynote Speakers and is extending their timeline for those applications.
MAY 2021
- Amanda Lacson shares about the plans for the podcast during the summer hiatus between season 1 & 2. We all brainstorm possibilities for what could be done over the summer.
- Kris Hege gives us an update on the Presidential Search process.
- The Policy and Communications Committee shares that they have received a response from admin about the MOU proposal, and they are now almost done finishing the second round of negotiations.
- Alumni Weekend Committee shares that registration for this year’s event is live! There is an early-bird discount on registration until the end of the month.
JUN 2021
- Alumni Weekend Committee shares that the early-bird discount was a success. It attracted many new participants.
- Justin Kagan asks all Council members to send photo, committee placements, and info for Alumni Council page update on the website.
- Amanda Lacson reminds us to all fill out the Doodle Poll about when we’re available to record an Alumni Council episode of the Goddard in the World podcast.
- Council discusses Board’s response to their endorsement letter in the Presidential Search process. Plans strategy for next steps.
JUL 2021
- Alumni Weekend Committee shares that they are halfway to their goal of registered participants in Alumni Weekend, and we are halfway through the available registration time. On track to hit the numbers.
- Justin Kagan shares that he has cleaned out the alumni email database for dead email addresses. Council discusses whether to renew subscriptions on a yearly basis or to purchase the lifetime license for the website. Voted to get the lifetime license.
- Patricia Shepherd has written a press release to send to alumni regarding the Presidential hire. Council votes to approve the statement.
- Amanda Lacson announces that she is taking over all podcast hosting since Casey Caronna stepped down from the Council.
- Council discusses next steps in response to the Board of Trustees’ hiring of Dan Hocoy as President.
AUG 2021
- Council approves draft of the Alumni Association Values Statement.
- Council discusses effects of our new status as an incorporated nonprofit, particularly the changes that will need to be made to our Charter in the coming months.
SEPT 2021
To be provided
OCT 2021
To be provided