Chapter Leadership Resources
Thank you for volunteering to help us to cultivate relationships and expand our efforts in support of the university, alumni and current students. Managing a volunteer-based alumni chapter can be a rewarding experience. We understand that free time for volunteer service is often limited and we thank you for your loyalty and support!
As volunteers, we want to provide you with the tools you'll need to be an effective leader. We know that you want the best for your chapter. You want it to be successful, to plan great events and you want your team to be dynamic and motivated. Refer to the resource links compiled below for successful chapter administration.
If you would like to plan an event for your chapter, please click the button below.
CSUN Alumni employs an Alumni Chapters Associate, a dedicated point of contact for chapter leaders available to help chapters organize and charter, market and plan events and train volunteers. Along with the Alumni Chapters Associate, CSUN Alumni has a myriad of experts in growing membership, volunteer development and professional development available to chapters. Click here for a full of list CSUN Alumni staff.
Contact:
Hannah Labra
Alumni Chapters Associate
(818) 677-7580
hannah.labra@csun.edu
Alumni are not required to remit a membership fee to join or affiliate with a chapter. All alumni are eligible to affiliate with up to three alumni chapters using the chapter designation form found on the Alumni Chapters homepage. Membership packages and pricing levels are set by the Alumni Association Board of Directors. Chapters may not discount the cost of membership dues without prior approval. Chapters may not collect additional membership dues above those collected by the Alumni Association. However, they may raise other funds for scholarships and special projects.
- Chapter President/Vice President: Chapter presidents serve as a liaison between the chapter constituency and the alumni staff. The president is responsible for providing strategic leadership for the chapter by working with the Board and the alumni staff to establish long-range goals and event strategies. Chapter Vice Presidents serve as the second in command if the president is not present. Provides counsel to the different committees and initiatives spearheaded by the rest of the chapter leadership board.
- Chapter Treasurer: Oversees the club's money, its collection, and disbursement. Working with the alumni staff, the treasurer is responsible for keeping accurate books that will enable them to give a full financial report whenever requested.
- Chapter Secretary: Maintains effective records of chapter operations and meetings. Provides administrative support to the chapter and effectively relays information to the constituency.
- Chapter Communications/Social Media Coordinator: Liaise between the chapter and alumni staff as it pertains to any communications with or for chapter members. The communications coordinator will also manage all chapter social media pages to promote chapter events and chapter leadership, if applicable.
- Young Alumni Representative: Develop a strategy to engage and recruit young alumni to join the chapter. Work with the chapter leadership to create events geared towards this population.
- Student Engagement Volunteer: Serve as a liaison between the chapter and any student clubs or academic programs that are parallel with the mission of the chapter. Engage students with chapter events and ensure that student representatives are present in chapter decision making.
- Chapter Photographer: Attend chapter events and meetings to capture photographs to be used as marketing tools for chapter communication efforts.
Depending on the role and level of responsibilities you choose to commit to, there are many different volunteer opportunities within each chapter for you to explore. At the highly involved level, a chapter president can expect to spend about 5 hours a week making phone calls and managing the work of other volunteers. At the basic level, a general board member can expect to spend just a few hours every other month attending a meeting or event, mentoring a student or sharing their talent and expertise with others. To help in your "assessment," most chapter leadership positions have job descriptions you can review to determine the specific responsibilities attached at each level.
Chapters are managed by volunteers, so chapter leaders should always be searching for qualified and dedicated volunteers. Chapter leaders should recruit volunteers for one-time events and for longer-term volunteer roles like serving on the chapter board.
Once you have found a volunteer who is dedicated and wants to join the chapter board, you can ask them to complete the Volunteer Agreement Form
Each chapter has their own account, where program revenue and donations are allocated. Reports on chapter finances can be provided by the Alumni Chapters Associate upon request, but are only updated on a quarterly basis, so the report that you receive might not be fully updated to the date that it was requested.
An annual stipend of $250 is directed to the chapter account for use by chapter leaders in support of programs and initiatives determined by each individual chapter board. In addition, the general Alumni Association has funding set aside to help enhance chapter programming and to assist chapters. In addition, the Alumni Association pays outright for many of the administrative services and costs associated with chapter management.
For financial reports request or to get help understand the financial reports, please contact the Alumni Chapters Associate:
Hannah Labra
Alumni Chapters Associate
(818) 677-7580
hannah.labra@csun.edu
If you would like to plan an event for your chapter, please fill out THIS form.
Each chapter should host at least two events per academic year, which usually looks like one per semester. Type of event varies by chapter, their mission and their focus, but most fall within professional development, student or department support, and/or social events. Your chapter is encouraged to collaborate with other departments and chapters to support already scheduled events. Investigate whether there is a department/area/college event the chapter could co-sponsor, a community event alumni might want to attend as a group, or a campus activity your chapter may want to support as a group. Below you will find a timeline to follow when you want to host an event.
- 3 months before the event: Decide on the event you want to host.
- The chapter should decide on the type of event they want to host and what the purpose of the event is. Some things to think about are the venue needed for this event, whether it should be on campus or off campus, the size of the event, who the event is catered to, and if there will be a charge.
- 2 months before the event: Fill out and submit the Event Proposal form.
- The Event Proposal Form can be found by clicking the button on the top of this page. This form goes directly to the Alumni Chapters Associate, who will then work with the planning committee to develop a budget and a marketing plan that will work for this event.
- It is important to note that if there are outside vendors being utilized for your event, to submit your recommendations to the Alumni Chapters Associate at the same time you submit the Event Proposal Form. The Chapters Associate will work directly with vendors to set up contracts. Chapter Presidents and boards are not to engage in and sign contracts.
- 1 month before event: Event webpage made and invitation sent.
- Once all the information has been submitted to the Chapters Associate, they will work with Marketing and Communication to develop a marketing plan for the event. Each event will look different, depending on scope. An email invitation will be sent out to participants, at which time they will be able to register for the event. Chapter volunteers should market events to their networks as well.
- 1 month to 1 week before event: Monitor registration and finalize details.
- The Alumni Chapters Associate will send regular updates on registration numbers for the event and will work with chapter leaders to develop strategies accordingly. This is also the time for all contracts to be finalized.
- Week of event: Final registration due.
- The registration link will be closed a day before the event, to allow for accurate counts. At this time, check in procedures will be finalized and chapter leaders and the Alumni Chapters Associate will go through a run-of-show.
- Day of event: CSUN Alumni support.
- Depending on scope of event, the Alumni Chapters Associate will be in attendance at your event, along with any additional support needed from the CSUN Alumni office. We will support with check in for the event and any other logistical duties the day of, as we want chapter leaders to have the opportunity to engage with their audience at the events. It is the chapter's responsibility to ensure event timing and details go according to plan.
- 1 week after the event: Wrap up and debrief
- The Alumni Chapters Associate will create a report detailing attendance that will be sent out to chapter leaders. This is also the time to debrief and take note for future events.
The idea of Speed Networking is similar to the increasingly popular, modern-day activity known as Speed Dating. The room is set-up so that an alumni mentor sits at a table with a group of three to six students. Questions are provided if students are unsure of what to ask mentors. After about 15 minutes the mentors switch tables and students begin speaking with a new alumni mentor. The goal is to have students meet with as many mentors as time permits to gain valuable insight into their future profession.
Chapter leaders should recruit alumni that vary in job positions, companies and even culture or background. Both new professionals and those who have been in the field for quite a while have unique perspectives to share. All mentors don’t have to be CSUN graduates, just anyone passionate about connecting with our students. Alumni enjoy the opportunity to share their wisdom and expertise with students without the long-term commitment of other mentoring programs. This event is a onetime – 3-hour time commitment.
If you want to host a speed mentoring event, but are having trouble finding mentors, the Alumni Chapters Associate can help you identify CSUN alumni that might be interested. This process might take a couple weeks, so it is better to ask for assistance at the beginning of the planning process and not wait to recruit mentors.
Please follow the timeline for events list above for speed mentoring events and submit the Event Proposal Form, which can be found on the top of this page.
For more information on speed mentoring events and resources, click here.