I. Purpose:
Alumni associations can help connect alumni, friends, and students and promote the University. The purpose of this policy is to provide clear guidance for the operation of alumni associations supporting campuses of the University of Arkansas. The following provisions set forth a framework for vibrant, mutually supportive, and financially sound alumni associations.
II. Establishment of Alumni Associations: General Provisions:
A. Each campus may establish a single alumni association that is organized and operated for the sole purpose of providing service and support to its members, to the alumni of the campus, and to the University.
B. The campus alumni association will be an umbrella organization for all alumni. With the approval of the chancellor, or a designee, academic units of a campus, alumni chapters or affinity organizations, may form alumni groups under this umbrella. The alumni association will work with the campus administration to ensure that all such affiliates operate consistent with this policy and any administrative guidelines established by the campus.
C. Each campus alumni association and affiliate must receive official recognition from the chancellor of the campus. Official recognition establishes the privileges and responsibilities of the relationship between the alumni association and the campus, including use of the campus’s name, facilities, and resources. Without such recognition, no group may (a) represent itself as raising funds or otherwise providing support on behalf of or for the benefit of the University, the campus, or any institutional unit thereof; (b) use the name of the University or any of its campuses, facilities, or programs either expressly or by implication in connection with such activities; or (c) use University facilities, equipment, or personnel in connection with such activities.
D. Each such campus alumni association may bear the name of the campus and may be organized and operated as (1) an association operating administratively as a unit of the campus; or (2) a separately incorporated tax-exempt entity under relevant provisions of state and federal tax law, and all operations will be in accordance with applicable campus policies, guidelines, and procedures.
III. Establishment of Separately Incorporated Alumni Associations:
A. If the campus elects a separately incorporated alumni association as a related entity under Board of Trustees Policy 340.1 to carry out the bulk of its alumni activities, the campus and the association will negotiate and maintain a written operating agreement, subject to periodic review and termination by the University. This agreement must include:
1. A description of the services and benefits the campus and the alumni association provide each other and arrangements for any payments to be made, including with respect to use of campus and alumni association property and facilities, computer networks, or employees.
2. A description of reporting relationships and appointing authority, including for any employees employed by both the alumni association and the campus and any employees employed by one entity with assigned duties and responsibilities to the other.
3. A description of the roles and responsibilities of the alumni association’s elected officers.
4. A description of the alumni association’s membership and officer selection process.
5. A provision mandating compliance with all NCAA rules pertaining to boosters, agents, fans, prospective students, and student-athletes.
6. A provision that addresses the alumni association’s ethical obligations to the University and its campuses, and that addresses conflicts of interest or potential conflicts of interest involving the institution and the alumni association’s officers or employees.
7. A provision governing the sharing of, access to, and non-disclosure of alumni information, data and other records relevant to the mission of the alumni association, including maintenance of data integrity for the university.
8. A process to ensure that the alumni association will solicit input from the campus before defining the major needs and priorities of the association.
9. A process to ensure editorial cooperation with the campus with respect to any publications of the alumni association, regardless of media.
10. A requirement to provide an annual financial statement in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and have an audit conducted by a certified accounting firm in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The independent auditor may be appointed for no more than a five-year term, after which services must be re-solicited through a competitive procurement process.
11. A requirement that the books and records, financial condition, operating results and program activities of the alumni association are subject to periodic audit by the University.
12. A description of how membership dues, gifts, grants, donations and endowments are accepted and accounted for, including a description of the means and methods of cultivating, handling and soliciting potential donors and raising funds for the association or the University.
13. A provision requiring centralized alumni association control and monitoring of bank accounts and expenditures by affiliates.
14. Language requiring Board of Trustees approval to begin any formal fundraising campaign for new construction, major renovations, or building additions to association facilities.
15. A provision governing the licensing of University marks, logos and other intellectual property to the alumni association and the authorized use of such intellectual property.
16. A provision addressing liability and, to the extent determined necessary, the purchase and maintenance of liability insurance covering the officers and directors and activities of the alumni association.
17. A provision requiring that the assets of the alumni association must be irrevocably dedicated for the benefit of the University. In the event of an association’s dissolution, the assets of the group must be transferred to the University or the University of Arkansas Foundation for purposes consistent with the terms of the individual gifts and the purposes of the association.
B. Each incorporated alumni association is subject to all applicable state and federal laws governing non-profit organizations, including relevant reporting requirements.
C. Agreements between any alumni association and campus will be reviewed periodically, and updated as necessary. A copy of each agreement will be filed with the advancement office for each campus and with the University’s Office of the General Counsel.
March 30, 2016