ALUMNI AFFINITY BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING REPORT · This Business Process Reengineering (BPR) project was undertaken during summer 2006 by a cross-functional team of 12 people

i

ALUMNI AFFINITY BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING REPORT

Executive Summary

This report outlines strategies that will make UBC a leader in engaging alumni and students as future alumni.

This Business Process Reengineering (BPR) project was undertaken during summer 2006 by a

cross-functional team of 12 people representing various UBC units, including Alumni Affairs.

The team reported to an Executive Steering Committee including Vice Presidents, Deans,

Associative Vice Presidents, and Directors of relevant units.

The Imagine UBC for Life project team was charged with finding ways to radically increase

alumni awareness of opportunities to engage with the university.

The team first explored the current state of alumni engagement at UBC, reaffirming that many

alumni are eager to engage and that there is substantial potential for both alumni and UBC to

gain value from greater engagement. There are, however, a number of barriers in both the

university and alumni communities that must be overcome.

For example, only 0.9% of UBC graduates currently volunteer at UBC in ways that we have

been able to identify.1 Yet, a recent survey of UBC alumni revealed that volunteering for UBC is

important to 44% of participants. Extrapolating this percentage to UBC’s total alumni

population of 225,000 could mean that, optimistically, up to 90, 000 graduates could be

interested in volunteering with UBC in some capacity.2

As outlined in the section titled Laying the Foundation, a cohesive set of philosophies,

structures, and strategies will motivate and unify the university’s efforts toward alumni

engagement. These will include recognizing the changing needs, interests, and affinities of our

alumni over their lifetimes. Organizational structure and strategy, timely, proactive and

personalized communications, and accurate and efficient data management will enable

excellence in alumni engagement.

1 Statistics Canada. Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians: Highlights from the 2004 Canadian Survey of Giving Volunteering and Participating. GPO, 2006. 2 Self-selection of survey participation likely skews this statistic considerably, but the message is nonetheless clear.


Building engagement for alumni will occur by substantially reconfiguring current activities and

adding new ones:

• Graduation ceremonies, reconfigured to act as a bookend to the Imagine UBC orientation

program, will inspire belief in the ongoing relevance and value of the UBC community.

• Reinvigorated reconnection opportunities in the form of reunions and open houses will

keep alumni connected to one another and the university.

• Enhanced career and professional development services will support the aspirations of our

alumni, particularly by enabling them to leverage the alumni network.

• Alumni will be engaged as volunteers through integrated programs that offer them

learning, engagement, and rewards.

The outcome will be measurable benefits for alumni, students, and UBC as a whole, helping

the university to meet its Trek 2010 mission of preparing exceptional global citizens, promoting

the values of a civil and sustainable society, and conducting outstanding research. The impact of

these changes will be global, reinforcing UBC’s international reputation and positioning the

university as a leader in alumni engagement.

A comprehensive and realistic set of implementation strategies will enable this project to

succeed.

The BPR team looks to all readers of this report as agents of change in elevating alumni

engagement to reflect UBC’s status as a globally ranked university.


i

Table of Contents

As an alternative to scrolling through the report, clicking page numbers in the table of contents

will take you to that section. Blue underlined hyperlinks appear occasionally throughout the

report to make it easier to navigate to related sections.

1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 The making of the BPR .................................................................................................... 2 1.2 End result ........................................................................................................................ 3

2 Current state.......................................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Institutional context ......................................................................................................... 5 2.2 Alumni engagement ........................................................................................................ 6 2.3 Alumni statistics and key survey results ............................................................................ 7

3 Future state............................................................................................................................ 9 3.1 Laying the foundation.................................................................................................... 10

3.1.1 Defining alumni ...................................................................................................... 10 3.1.2 Philosophies and values........................................................................................... 11 3.1.3 Lifecycle .................................................................................................................. 11 3.1.4 Organization and strategy ....................................................................................... 13

3.1.4.1 Time, talent, and treasure................................................................................. 15 3.1.5 Communications..................................................................................................... 18 3.1.6 Data........................................................................................................................ 23

3.1.6.1 Data management............................................................................................ 23 3.1.6.2 Alumni engagement portal............................................................................... 27

3.1.7 Alumni Engagement Centre .................................................................................... 29 3.2 Building engagement..................................................................................................... 30

3.2.1 Imagine graduation................................................................................................. 31 3.2.2 Reunions and reconnections.................................................................................... 33 3.2.3 UBC open houses.................................................................................................... 34 3.2.4 Career and professional development ..................................................................... 35 3.2.5 Volunteer engagement ........................................................................................... 38

3.2.5.1 Points/incentives program................................................................................. 39 3.2.5.2 Volunteer certification ...................................................................................... 41

3.3 Outcomes...................................................................................................................... 42 3.3.1 Return on engagement ........................................................................................... 42 3.3.2 Meeting the UBC Vision .......................................................................................... 46 3.3.3 Global impact ......................................................................................................... 47

3.4 Implementation ............................................................................................................. 48 3.4.1 Regionalization ....................................................................................................... 48 3.4.2 Quick wins .............................................................................................................. 48 3.4.3 Next steps ............................................................................................................... 48

3.4.3.1 Rough implementation timeline........................................................................ 50 4 Appendices .......................................................................................................................... 51

4.1 Methodology................................................................................................................. 51 4.2 Meet the Team.............................................................................................................. 53 4.3 External research ........................................................................................................... 54

4.3.1 In-person interviews ................................................................................................ 56 4.4 Internal walk-through interviews ................................................................................... 57


1

1 Introduction UBC has more than 225, 000 alumni worldwide.3 Most UBC alumni hold their alma mater in

high regard, but relatively few are actively engaged with the university. Student leadership and

engagement seem to disappear once students become alumni.

Alumni are one of our fastest-growing and potentially most influential constituencies, but we

struggle to connect with them. A major survey of UBC alumni conducted in spring 2005

revealed we lag well behind four other major Canadian universities and 25 leading US

institutions in such areas as:

• satisfaction with the student experience

• overall impressions of the university today

• how strongly alumni would recommend UBC to prospective students, and

• feelings of emotional connection to the university.

The Imagine UBC for Life BPR report provides UBC with the philosophies, structures, and

programs necessary to increase the engagement of our alumni population. It explores more

effective ways to gather and use alumni contact information, concerns, and interests in order to

offer them lifelong value. It illustrates new ways to facilitate and recognize alumni achievements

and contributions to the university and society. It will enable alumni to leverage the reputation

of the university into personal success and enable the university to leverage the

accomplishments of its alumni.

Re-envisioning our relationship with alumni and recognizing them as major stakeholders is key

to successful engagement. Our conception of student and alumni engagement must be

expanded, as must our methodology for creating and strengthening relationships:

• We must strive for multi-dimensional, lifelong connections among UBC, alumni and

students.

• We must connect with our graduates in ways that reflect their needs and desires.

• We must promote and recognize alumni contributions beyond large financial donations.

• We must find ways to encourage alumni to actively seek engagement, rather than simply

acquiesce when we ask.

• We must make alumni engagement easy, personal, convenient, and rewarding.

Throughout UBC, virtually every administrative unit is directly or indirectly involved in providing

engagement and value for our alumni, whether they realize it or not. From the student

experience, to engaging alumni on advisory committees, to influencing perceptions of UBC

3 This figure reflects living alumni. The total number of people who have graduated from UBC is over 240 000.


2

through architecture and sustainable waste management programs, the entire university is a

network of explicit and implicit ‘touch points’ for alumni. Already, there are programs in place

at UBC to engage alumni, and there are alumni who are actively involved. But, given the Trek

2010 vision, UBC’s ranking as one of the top 40 universities in the world, and ever-growing

graduate numbers of more than 225, 000, there is significant room for improvement. The

opportunity to enhance alumni engagement is huge.

To effectively seize this opportunity, there must be a shared mandate throughout the UBC

community. We must create a united front and show our alumni that we are serious about

engagement, serious about improvement, and most importantly, serious about them. This will

require a philosophical shift in alumni engagement activities throughout our community. Over

the process of our BPR, we came to the realization that it would be a BPR different than any

that came before it. In our case, BPR stands not for Business Process Reengineering, but rather

for Business Philosophy Reengineering. Instead of reengineering a single process, we were

tasked with uniting and harmonizing practices already in place throughout UBC to create an

environment focused on meeting the needs of our alumni and fostering multi-dimensional

communication with them.

It is only when alumni are consciously recognized, actively accepted, and consistently treated as

one of UBC’s core constituencies across all parts of the university that they will be positioned to

reach their potential in our collective success.

1.1 The making of the BPR

The Imagine UBC for Life BPR process itself was a microcosmic demonstration of the challenges

and opportunities that UBC faces in building alumni engagement.

The BPR team is a cross-functional group drawn from throughout the UBC community,

comprised of 12 people drawn from Alumni Affairs, Advancement Services, Information

Technology, Student Services, and the student and alumni body. Each participating department

committed to the process for two months of full time work and for substantial commitments

after that.

Ranging in age from early 20s to mid 50s, three members are UBC students, others are staff or

alumni volunteers, and some are all three. Seven are UBC graduates, representing student

experiences from the 1970s, 80s, 90s, and the current decade. Each member filled a specific

role on the team, representing different aspects of the alumni engagement ‘process’ being

reengineered. Simultaneously, members represented varying backgrounds, experiences, and

levels of familiarity with various aspects of alumni engagement at UBC.

These differences within the team are reflective of the university’s diverse alumni constituency

and its attendant challenges and opportunities, as well as the difficulties and benefits of

collaboration across university units. Technology-focused solutions, for instance, do not

resonate with many older alumni in the same way they do with today’s students and young

It is only when alumni are consciously recognized, actively accepted, and consistently treated as one of UBC’s core constituencies across all parts of the university that they will be positioned to reach their potential in our collective success.


3

alumni. However, the experience of collaboration and opportunities to learn from one another

are extremely valuable. At the end of our process, all members of the team could cite significant

learnings from other members, and all were much more aware of the benefits of cross-

functional and cross-demographic collaboration.

There are few things that inspire engagement more than playing a tangible role in the direction

of an organization. The challenge facing UBC is to scale up the impact of individualized

experiences of connection across a broad alumni population.

During the BPR process, the team spoke with more than 160 people in and around UBC and

conducted a professional survey of a random sample of alumni. The team also researched

extensive subject areas (from demographics to branding to data systems) for background and

ideas, speaking to many leading players in relevant areas of the educational and corporate

sectors. The enthusiastic support and input of countless individuals enabled the team to fulfil its

mandate.

Thousands of (predominantly electronic) pages of information were reviewed and created,

aiming to leverage existing resources and information as much as possible. Throughout the

process, the team aimed for sustainability. Communications to the Executive Steering

Committee and UBC community were achieved easily, quickly, and paperlessly through weekly

blog entries. Using laptops and Basecamp, a real-time online collaboration and file storage tool,

averted the printing of many thousands of pages by allowing largely paperless collaboration.

This electronically enabled approach provides an example of the potential for technology to

enable collaboration and engagement with alumni at minimal cost.

The positive response to new technologies by less technologically inclined members of the team

is also indicative of the willingness and desire of alumni to learn new skills while engaging with

UBC. Furthermore, online collaboration also left a mark on the BPR process itself, as the external

facilitator has gone on to share such tools with his colleagues and with other BPR teams.

1.2 End result

The wording of the desired ‘end result’ that appears below was presented to the BPR team by

its Executive Steering Committee at the beginning of this project in May, 2006: this was our

goal.

We will actively engage our alumni — and students as future alumni – creating strong, unique,

multi-dimensional relationships among themselves and with other stakeholders. By integrating

alumni into the greater UBC community, they will enthusiastically share their time, talents, and

financial resources, enabling them to both contribute to and benefit from the university’s

achievements and ambitions.

We will actively engage our alumni...

During the BPR process, the team consumed 400 cookies, 20 pounds of chocolate, and over 2300 cups of coffee!


4

The solution should make UBC a leader in engaging alumni in a manner that meets their needs;

resulting in UBC gaining competitive edge in capturing their mindshare.

The end result must match alumni talents and resources with opportunities of mutual benefit

and interest. Thus, the solution should identify areas and opportunities for:

• alumni involvement

• the nature of the involvement

• information the institution must know about alumni

• opportunities to facilitate involvement in all UBC faculties

• departments and community partners world-wide

The solution must recognize that successful engagement takes into account a stakeholder’s

lifelong relationship with UBC. From first point of contact, the solution should identify

measurable approaches for collecting accurate information and support integrated identity

records for all alumni, including their academic, athletic and other interests and

accomplishments while they are UBC students, and extending to record their interests, careers

and lives after graduation. The ultimate goal is to radically increase alumni awareness of

opportunities to engage and their ability to do so.

Constraints

• All solutions created should be easy to adapt and repeat.

• Solutions should honour the privacy needs of individual alumni as well as existing

regulations.


5

2 Current state 2.1 Institutional context

Understanding today’s reality is vital to actualizing tomorrow’s promise.

In researching the current state, the BPR team found a number of faculties and units actively

engaging alumni and many more (such as Continuing Studies and Student Recruitment) that

are eager to do so.

Their common needs include:

• a shared source of accurate and up-to-date electronic information about alumni,

particularly relating to their contact information;

• a friendly and efficient user interface between various databases to access such

information; and

• regular and strategic communication and cooperation among the many units involved in

alumni activities.

A number of key obstacles impede the university’s ability to maximize value for and from its

alumni community:

• information silos – information on alumni is stored in many different, often unconnected

and uncoordinated databases4

• inconsistent information – the level of access to information for different individuals and

units is not rationalized, and who can and cannot access what information is not widely

understood;

• organizational silos – the lack of effective communication, cooperation and coordination

activities throughout UBC relating to alumni stymies opportunities to leverage knowledge,

relationships and potential synergies; and

• coordination – engagement with alumni has historically been managed by a ‘stand alone’

Alumni Association. Through a new partnership agreement with UBC and the development

of an AVP Alumni portfolio, relations at the organizational level are growing. However, a

collaborative strategy is needed to ensure full communication and coordination among

units and individuals working with alumni throughout UBC globally.

These obstacles reflect the broader institutional challenge of collaborating across the university

to enable a consistently excellent experience for students and alumni.

4 There are at least 18 databases and, including personal ‘shadow systems,’ dozens if not hundreds more.


6

2.2 Alumni engagement

UBC’s alumni are a vital stakeholder group whose value has often not been realized or

recognized by the university. The consequences of ignoring or alienating alumni are great, and

the benefits of engaging them are greater still. Alumni are relatively disconnected today for a

number of reasons:

• Broken Connections. Many alumni feel ‘divorced’ from the UBC community when they

leave the university. To many, the graduation experience seems like an ending, a goodbye,

rather than a welcome to an ongoing, lifelong relationship. There is little transition from

student to alumni, and educational experiences are not regularly tied to ‘real world’ value.

The university is not perceived as adequately helping alumni to leverage their UBC

educations and experiences into career and personal success and engage in lifelong

learning. When alumni return to UBC, they must restart their relationships rather than

return to a familiar home. UBC is perceived as being ‘in the middle’ rather than fostering

interpersonal interactions.

• Impersonal Service. Surveys and anecdotal evidence show that many students and alumni

experience university services as impersonal, bureaucratic, and inflexible. Some services are

not tailored to meet the needs of a diverse client base, and others are not effective in

following through the critical student-to-alumni transition. Students and alumni rarely

experience individualised treatment, and the student experience frequently predetermines

the relationship future alumni will have with UBC. Many students and alumni are simply

not aware of the various products, services, and options available to them, because of a

lack of effective communication from the university or because they do not take the

initiative to find out.

• Physical Experience. Newcomers and alumni returning to UBC Vancouver often

experience difficulties navigating the campus, and there is no obvious or common starting

point to begin exploring. Older alumni often find familiar buildings gone upon their return,

and the amount of physical change to the campus can be confusing. Visitors with

disabilities may have difficulty accessing facilities. The Alumni Affairs office in Cecil Green

Park House, for example is not wheelchair accessible. Deferred maintenance can lead to a

poor impression of the campus for current students and returning alumni. For instance, the

Buchanan complex, the heavily used primary Arts buildings at UBC Vancouver, was for

many years in obvious need of renewal. Especially in light of such situations, ongoing

institutional and neighbourhood construction around the Vancouver campus is often

interpreted negatively due a lack of explicit information and contextual understanding.

Despite generating hundreds of millions of dollars in endowment revenue to support UBC’s

growth, the University Town project is not seen by some as beneficial to the campus

community.

• Communications. Messaging received by alumni can be perceived as inconsistent or

mixed, if any is received at all. This is particularly problematic given the emphasis alumni


7

place on communication in surveys and focus groups. Alumni are not identified as a critical

constituent in the frequently cited opening sentences of the Trek 2010 vision document

along with students, faculty, and staff. This is a missed opportunity and likely makes some

alumni feel peripheral, especially given feedback that many believe they are valued only as a

source of development dollars. UBC’s numerous communications channels and providers

seem to lack coordination, which is exacerbated by the belief many alumni have that

communication is coming from UBC as a whole rather than from specific sub-units.

Additionally, communication is often perceived as one-way, with little opportunity for

feedback and consultation.

2.3 Alumni statistics and key survey results

According to information gathered using the Viking alumni database:

• The most recent count of living alumni is 226, 882

• UBC has contact information (accuracy uncertain) for 76.6% of alumni

• 73.5% of addressable alumni live or work in the Lower Mainland

• 90% of addressable alumni live in Canada

According to an independent survey conducted on behalf of Alumni Affairs in March 20055,

alumni want more:

• News and information about UBC today and why it matters (77%)

• Intellectual connections to UBC (73%)

• Connections with other alumni (69%)

• Online connections to UBC (58%)

• Access to events (54%)

Alumni currently engage with UBC by:

• Visiting the UBC Vancouver (72%)

• Visiting the UBC website (63%)

• Attending a lecture by or otherwise connecting with a professor (28%)

• Mentoring students (20%)

Alumni identified gaps in service:

• Our help connecting them to classmates (40%)

• Our help providing access to intellectual resources (31%)

• Our help connecting them to students (20%)

• Our help informing them about UBC today (11%)

• Our help identifying opportunities to volunteer for UBC (11%) 5 The survey was designed, analyzed, and reported by Jerold Pearson, Director of Market Research at Stanford Alumni Association, working as an independent consultant. The entire survey is available in the supplemental information folder on the report CD.


8

TREK magazine, published three times a year by Alumni Affairs, received low marks in:

• Informing readers about student life (38%)

• Connecting readers to other alumni (26%)

During the BPR process, the team surveyed alumni a second time.6

• 58.8% of alumni believe the main purpose of the Alumni Association should be

communication to and from alumni, facilitating inter-alumni communication, or general

communication between UBC and alumni.

• Only 4.7% believe the main purpose of the Alumni Association should be fundraising.

Further subject-specific results from these surveys are presented throughout this report.

6 The survey was designed, analyzed, and reported by UBC’s ARES (Applied Research and Evaluation Services). 5,000 alumni were solicited, with 274 responding, a statistically significant but somewhat disappointing response rate of 5.1% after adjustments. Some responses may be slightly skewed due to self-selection bias.


9

3 Future state The following graphic representation illustrates the fundamentals of the new design, reflecting

the importance of laying a strong philosophical, organizational, and strategic foundation in

order to enable success in engaging alumni. Sequentially, the core of the report begins at the

bottom of the pyramid and builds upward, layer by layer.

GLOBAL IMPACT

MEETING THE MISSION

LAYING THE FOUNDATION

BUILDING ENGAGEMENT

RETURN ON ENGAGEMENT

ALUMNI

DEFININGALUMNI

PHILOSOPHIES& VALUES

LIFECYCLE ORGANIZATION& STRATEGY

DATA COMMUNICATIONSALUMNI

ENGAGEMENTCENTRE

UNIVERSITY OFBRITISH COLUMBIA

IMAGINEGRADUATION

REUNIONS &RECONNECTIONS

UBC OPENHOUSE

CAREER &PROFESSIONALDEVELOPMENT

VOLUNTEERENGAGEMENT


10

3.1 Laying the foundation

A cohesive set of philosophies and values will motivate and unify the university’s efforts toward

alumni engagement. This will include defining our alumni and recognizing their changing

needs, interests, and affinities over the phases of their lives. Excellence in alumni relations will

be enabled by collaborative organization, effective data management, and personalized

communications.

3.1.1 Defining alumni

Defining precisely who is a UBC alumnus is a challenging task. Official and unofficial definitions

vary across groups and individuals and are often context-dependant.7 In order to support our

end results, the BPR team defined the following terms, which we recommend as a rough

template for clarifying categories of alumni:

• An alumnus is a person who has been granted a degree from UBC. Such individuals enjoy

a privileged and prestigious relationship with the university community. These individuals,

pursuant to the University Act8, may be members of the Alumni Association.

• An associate alumnus is a person who has completed the requirements of a UBC

certificate or diploma program, a former student who has completed a minimum of 60

credits in a UBC degree-granting program, or a student who has attended UBC as part of a

recognized exchange program.9

• An honourary alumnus is a person who has been granted an honourary degree by UBC

or who has been designated an ‘honourary alumnus’ by the UBC Alumni Association.

The BPR team also noted the importance of developing relationships with future and potential

alumni during or before their UBC student experiences and of providing recognition and value

to long-term faculty and staff. As UBC commits to greater engagement of its constituents, a

balance must be struck between the earned exclusivity of official alumni status and the

inclusivity and openness of the broader UBC community.

7 Definitions include: past, current and in some cases, future students; individuals with strategic relationships to UBC; people who have attended UBC in an academic program for a given period of time but have not graduated; exchange students to UBC, life-long learners, members of the UBC community/family, UBC champions and ambassadors, and individuals who have been granted or applied for membership in the UBC Alumni Association. 8 The University Act (RSBC 1996, c. 468) defines an alumni association as “the association of graduates of a university, membership in which is open to all graduates of the university.” 9 Associate alumni status is arbitrarily defined as presented but, crucially, is marked by a significant investment in learning at UBC.

A balance must be struck between the earned exclusivity of official alumni status and the inclusivity and openness of the broader UBC community.


11

3.1.2 Philosophies and values

To achieve the goals outlined in this report, the alumni experience at UBC must be built upon a

strong philosophical foundation of values that are recognized and embraced across the

university community. Alumni will be treated as individuals within an inclusive community of

life-long learning. Their diverse contributions to UBC and the broader community will be valued

and recognized. Five key philosophies will inform this approach:

• Alumni engagement will be an explicit part of UBC’s vision, and efforts toward

engagement will be tied consistently to that vision.

• Alumni, along with students, faculty and staff, will be valued as the foundation of the UBC

community, and their broad impact will be recognized.

• UBC will earn the support of its alumni.

• UBC will engage alumni through proactive, transparent, and responsive governance.

• The alumni experience and connection will be user-centric, multi-dimensional, consistently

excellent, and ongoing.

3.1.3 Lifecycle

Alumni engagement will be designed to deliver lifelong value. Personalized communications

and services will parallel and enhance milestones and life stages and demonstrate the ongoing

value of a connection to UBC.

Rationale

Alumni relationships are unique in that they are lifelong and associated with the arguably life-

changing experience of earning a university degree and participating in university life. Many

students meet their partners and lifelong friends while at university, and also discover

intellectual passions that lead them to rewarding careers in business, academia, or public

service. 25% of married alumni of the University of Western Ontario, for instance, met their

partners while at Western.10 UBC has no comparable data on which to base programming.

Alumni often look to their alma mater for assistance with their careers and intellectual

development. Many alumni also return to their alma mater for further education - subsequent

degrees or continuing education – later in life.

Vision

Alumni engagement must be designed to deliver lifelong value to alumni. A lifecycle continuum

is the framework for the recommendations of this report. This model graphically illustrates how

UBC Alumni Affairs and its campus partners will deliver and receive value for and from alumni

through programming that is tailored to the life milestones and stages of individual alumni. This

10 External source: Ted Garrard, VP External, University of Western Ontario


12

framework also outlines suggested fundraising ‘touch points’ to ensure continuity between all

forms of alumni engagement and enable a relationship-based fundraising approach.

Alumni engagement will be a lifelong relationship that begins well before a student graduates,

rather than a hard sell after graduation. Many opportunities for engagement correlate with

milestone events such as:

• university registration

• degree selection

• career and/or graduate degree planning

• graduation

• relocation

• career stages

• marriage and parenthood

• mid-career volunteer/mentorship activities

• retirement

For instance, when an alumna or alumnus has a child and tells the university, a targeted

package will be sent, which might include a child-sized ‘Future UBC Alumni’ shirt.

Outcomes

Offering personalized communications and services that parallel and enhance milestones will

demonstrate UBC’s commitment to alumni and expand opportunities for engagement. Through

the creation of real and valued two way relationships with our alumni, the university will benefit

directly and indirectly through:

• increased volunteer engagement

• increased prospective student interest

• decreased recruitment and retention costs for students and alumni

• increased development revenue

• increased community advocacy for university initiatives from alumni

When we know more about alumni and strive to be an active, constant, but unobtrusive part of

their life, we will be better able to recognize their needs, service them, and encourage them to

invest their time, talent, and treasure in UBC.


13

86 +76 - 8566 - 7556 - 6546-5536-4529 - 3523- 2818 - 2213 - 170 - 12Alumni Age

RetiredRetiredRetiredCareer ExitCareerChildrenMarriageFirst 5 yrsAt UBCPre-UBCPre-UBC

Lectures + Talks

Continuing Studies

4. LEARNING

Insurance

Credit Card

Travel

Affinity Programs

Open Houses & Reunions

Mentoring

Donations

Volunteering

Imagine Graduation

3. ENGAGEMENT

Milestones

Mentoring

Professional Development

Career Services

Alumni Engagement Officers

TrekConnect

2. SERVICES

Alumni Engagement Portal

Grad Gazette

Trek Magazine

1. COMMUNICATIONS

86 +76 - 8566 - 7556 - 6546-5536-4529 - 3523- 2818 - 2213 - 170 - 12Alumni Age

RetiredRetiredRetiredCareer ExitCareerChildrenMarriageFirst 5 yrsAt UBCPre-UBCPre-UBC

Lectures + Talks

Continuing Studies

4. LEARNING

Insurance

Credit Card

Travel

Affinity Programs

Open Houses & Reunions

Mentoring

Donations

Volunteering

Imagine Graduation

3. ENGAGEMENT

Milestones

Mentoring

Professional Development

Career Services

Alumni Engagement Officers

TrekConnect

2. SERVICES

Alumni Engagement Portal

Grad Gazette

Trek Magazine

1. COMMUNICATIONS

Alumni for Life – Life Cycle Chart

3.1.4 Organization and strategy

Refocusing the organizational structures and strategies that provide support, products, and

services to alumni will help create the foundation for dynamic multidirectional relationships that

improve constantly.

Rationale

Within every executive portfolio at UBC, there are departments that work or could work with

the alumni population in some capacity. There is currently comparatively little coordination with

regard to interactions, communications, event and program planning, and the sharing of

resources. Significant opportunities to drive strategy through up-to-date and accurate

information and research are presently left untapped. Efforts to engage alumni would be more

effective and would cause less confusion in many cases if they were coordinated and cohesive.

Such coordination requires focused leadership and a consistently strategic approach to alumni.


14

Vision

Effective management of alumni engagement efforts will be enabled by several interlocking

strategies:

1. Vice President, Students and Alumni. The Office of the Vice President, Students,

according to its mandate, ‘is responsible for shaping the student experience and learning

environment at UBC for the continuum of students – prospective students, current students

– undergraduate and graduate – and alumni.’ While this is a laudable mandate, it is not

well understood or readily acknowledged by alumni and other key constituents of UBC,

both internal and external. In fact, many people simply do not know where responsibility

for alumni lies.

The BPR team recommends that the portfolio be renamed to include alumni, giving them

an explicit institutional champion at the executive table. This would also act as an

affirmation of the continuum of the student experience through to alumni. Just as the

creation of the Vice President, Students position seven years ago refocused the university on

students, this change will act as a catalyst to reinvigorate the alumni experience. It will also

help position UBC to be at the forefront globally in engaging a key constituent of university

life.

2. Strategic Coordination. Faculties, staff, and departments that work with alumni will come

together formally at least once a year to participate in the creation of a university-wide

strategic coordination plan. Doing so will produce a shared set of specific goals and metrics

to measure alumni engagement and support. Establishing a shared ‘bottom line’ measured

with collective metrics will more effectively recognize the complex interplay of different

aspects of alumni engagement.

3. Distributed Collaboration. The role of the Alumni Relations unit will be to work with all

UBC stakeholders to engage and support our shared alumni. This collaboration will be

modeled on the success of UBC’s internationally recognized Campus Sustainability Office

(CSO), such that units engage with Alumni Affairs because they find value in doing so.

Alumni Affairs will continue to work in partnership with faculties and units (and their

respective alumni and development offices) to build capacity, seek to deliver value to them

whenever possible, and earn the respect of all campus units as the centre of expertise on

alumni engagement. Similar to the financial structure of the CSO, while upgrading alumni

engagement will require some new investment, there are many opportunities to create

substantial efficiencies through coordinated efforts, freeing resources and funding for other

initiatives. Wherever possible, Alumni Affairs will work to identify and demonstrate the

substantial value of these opportunities to faculties and units, who are vital partners in

achieving the potential of alumni engagement.

4. Research Unit. The Advancement Services Research Unit is dedicated to researching,

analysing and communicating information on UBC’s prospective donors, many of whom are

alumni. Because its core mandate is to work with donors and prospects at the major gift

level (capacity to give of $25,000 and above), the research unit is unable to formally provide


15

services to Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving. However, due primarily to personal

relationships between research and alumni staff, a limited amount of work has been done

for Alumni Affairs, on an ad hoc basis. The Development Research unit has, for example,

identified prominent individuals in Toronto, Calgary, Seattle, San Francisco, and Ottawa to

chair regional alumni events. The Research unit was also responsible for identifying the

chair of President Stephen Toope’s inaugural alumni event in Montreal.

Data mining techniques such as geo-demographic profiling provide a wealth of macro level

information about UBC’s alumni. However, due to a shortage of staff and no formal

mandate to pursue the data mining area, the Research unit has not been able to provide

these services to the major gift units, nor offer them to Alumni Affairs and Annual Giving.

To improve collection and use of information on alumni, the mandate of the Development

Research office should be expanded beyond major gifts to include data mining and

supporting Alumni Affairs.

3.1.4.1 Time, talent, and treasure

Many alumni indicate that donation solicitation is the only time they hear from UBC. Annual

Giving, then, is a key interface with alumni. The unit is tasked with building the university’s

donor base in order to feed the pipeline to major gift officers for larger gifts and planned

giving. Their de facto key metric is currently dollars raised, measured in average gifts and rates

of participation, conversion, and renewal. So long as that strategic priority alone remains in

place, the ability to holistically engage alumni will be compromised.

This issue is borne out by the following statistics:

• UBC’s alumni participation rate is 6.7%. Among comparable public research/doctoral

institutions in the United States, the average alumni giving rates is 11.2%, with the top

garnering a 26.5% rate.11

• In 2005/2006, $117.8 million was raised by UBC. Only $23.5 million of that (or 20%)

came from alumni.

• 31.5% of all alumni have given financially at some point, with a very small number

consistently giving annually over a long period of time.

The BPR team believes that shifting focus to holistic engagement rather than impersonal one-

time solicitations will improve these results.

Prevailing fundraising theories indicate that donors give money to people, and that they choose

to give when an institution or organization actively engages them. Research also indicates that

an overemphasis on large gifts in fundraising strategies and promotions tends to alienate

potential smaller donors. Looking specifically at UBC’s alumni, this could lead to reduced

11 According to CASE's Voluntary Support of Education survey. North Carolina State University, Raleigh (NC) is the highest with 26.5%.


16

participation, weakening the potential donor base. Thus, we must work to develop personal

relationships that will establish the interest and engagement of all our alumni so that a larger

number will invest their time, talent, and treasure in our university.

UBC successfully shifted its philosophy around major gift fundraising when it moved from large

capital campaigns to a mission-based approach in 2000. Since then, total annual donations

have climbed from $40 million to $110 million in 2005-2006. The time has come for a similar

shift to engagement-based fundraising in Annual Giving. Five key strategies will enable this

shift:

1. Self Service. The personalized, dynamic Alumni Engagement Portal, in conjunction with

TrekConnect, will create key ‘self-service’ opportunities for alumni to personalize their

relationships with UBC. Giving opportunities will be included in communications vehicles to

tie donations to interests and experiences. For example, a ‘support UBC’ button will be

included in the mentoring webpage, enabling timely and targeted investments of time,

talent, and treasure.

2. Personalization. Building personalized relationships will enable ‘asks’ to be tailored to

alumni based on their areas of interest. Currently, none of the valuable relationship

information gleaned by student callers during calls to alumni is recorded in Viking, the

alumni and donor database. Mechanisms will be implemented to allow simple and intuitive

recording of such information by student callers and others who work with alumni. When

deemed appropriate, student callers will forward alumni to an Alumni Engagement Officer.

3. Alumni Engagement Officers. To meet the needs of alumni who prefer to deal directly

with people rather than web interfaces, those alumni who choose to will receive regular

calls from the university that focus on their current and potential engagement with UBC. A

team of Alumni Relationship Officers will be created to perform this task, in effect acting as

concierges to assist alumni in engaging with the full spectrum of opportunities at UBC,

from navigating the new Alumni web portal to Continuing Studies courses to volunteering

as a mentor and making donations. When deemed appropriate, Alumni Engagement

Officers will forward alumni to an Annual Giving student caller. 36.9% of alumni surveyed

on behalf of the BPR team were explicitly interested in having an Alumni Engagement

Officer. Clearly the concept is not desirable for every alumnus, but there is substantial

demand and potential for such an initiative.

4. Delayed Asks. When asked about their relationship with UBC, many alumni respond

immediately that they only receive donation requests and affinity program solicitations. This

perception is particularly prominent in younger alumni, some of whom express outright

disgust at being called a scant few weeks after their graduation (if not before), when they

are focused on seeking jobs and paying students loans. Although communication with

alumni is often more diverse than some perceive, too much focus on fundraising is

ultimately harmful to both alumni engagement and eventual donations. Some alumni

choose to sever all communications with UBC in order to avoid solicitations and credit card


17

offers, and others will never give because of being asked to donate when their personal

financial prospects were unsure.

A new strategy must be implemented that does not aggressively solicit donations from

recent graduates (up to 5 years out), but instead focuses on driving value to them and

building their affinity with UBC through programs such as career services, mentoring, and

volunteering. Although they will still be able to give if they choose, this shift of focus will

build natural engagement and a desire to support programs that are seen as valuable. A

good product does not need to be marketed aggressively – it will sell itself. If we truly

believe in the UBC ‘product,’ we must be prepared to step back and develop its market in a

slower, more strategic, and genuine way.

5. New Metrics. As noted above, the key metric in Annual Giving is currently dollars raised.

Engaging alumni at a deeper level (via Alumni Engagement Officers and other means) will

require a diversification of metrics. A new system of metrics might include:

- Dollars given

- Donor retention

- Percentage of alumni donating (by grad year)

- Average donation

- Length of donor engagement

- Number of alumni donors

- Number of alumni engaged with university life – volunteering, event attendance, trips

to campus

- Alumni points (see Points/Incentives Program)

- Volunteer time

- Active TrekConnect accounts

- People sent to and assisted with the Alumni Engagement Portal

- UBC and Continuing Education course enrolment

- Affinity program participation (credit cards, travel, etc.)

Outcomes

This modified approach to Annual Giving and the introduction of Alumni Engagement Officers

will require a greater commitment of financial resources. This investment will result in a deeper

level of engagement for alumni by meeting their needs while matching their talents and

resources with opportunities of mutual benefit and interest over the course of their lives. UBC

will learn more about each alumni, and graduates will learn more about the continuing

opportunities available at UBC. Ultimately, this will yield a higher level of investment by alumni

in the form of their time, talent, and treasure – all of which will have a compounding positive

effect on the UBC community.

These structural and strategic changes will have real and long-standing impacts on the way UBC

thinks about alumni and the way alumni see UBC. By formalizing an explicit institutional

champion for alumni at the executive level and increasing strategic coordination, efforts toward


18

alumni engagement will be more efficient and effective and ultimately more impactful.

Improved quantitative and qualitative data about our alumni will allow us to better serve them

while establishing more effective benchmarks against which to measure performance annually.

3.1.5 Communications

Alumni Affairs will take a lead role in anticipating the diverse and fast-changing information

needs of UBC graduates by focusing on relevant, timely, and candid communications delivered

through a number of channels and aimed at promoting increased two-way interaction.

Proactively predicting the information needs and desires of alumni and helping them to engage

or re-engage with each other and the university will offer substantial value.

Rationale

Strategic, targeted, and frequent communications will be critical for UBC in achieving its

objective of having a significant number of informed, supportive, and engaged alumni. Effective

multidirectional dialogue is fundamental in establishing, renewing, and building relationships

and in helping people stay connected to organizations and to each other. Such relationships

take time and concerted efforts to build, and must be intentionally nurtured throughout the

UBC community to be maintained.

Alumni have told us through surveys, focus group sessions, and general feedback that they

want to receive more news and information about UBC today. They also want to be recognized,

treated, and valued as a key constituent of the university. Most information is currently

disseminated through formal communications channels such as the university’s website, UBC

Reports, faculty newsletters, Trek magazine, and Grad Gazette, a monthly electronic newsletter

targeted specifically at alumni.

Significant success can also be achieved through less formal communications and/or those that

are generated by an independent third party. These often have far more impact with the target

audience, especially if they are clearly ‘on message’. For example, in his first major interview

with The Vancouver Sun in his new role as President and Vice Chancellor, Stephen Toope

explicitly described alumni as a key constituent. The reporter, in describing the President’s first

few weeks on the job, wrote: “There have been meetings with deans of UBC faculties,

meetings with alumni, with politicians and executives in the forestry sector, mining and high-

technology industries. The experience has been ‘hectic, but fascinating.’” Alumni would

welcome more examples like this one not just from the President, but at all levels and

throughout all parts of the university.

There are significant challenges involved in developing, implementing, and maintaining a

communications program to meet the needs of such a large and diverse audience. Substantial

resources are required in terms of time, personnel, and money as well as a co-ordinated,

sustained effort that is university-wide. There are also huge opportunities, particularly given the

many existing communications channels and initiatives that can be leveraged.


19


20

Vision

Alumni Affairs will build upon its existing communications activities in a number of key areas,

such as:

1. Establishing an Alumni Communications Task Force with representatives from

faculties, departments, and business units throughout UBC that interact regularly with

alumni. Chaired by the Director of Communications for UBC Alumni Affairs, this team will

meet on a regular basis to develop ways to better co-ordinate and leverage each group’s

current communications targeted at alumni and discuss issues of reputation, perception,

and positioning. Members of this task force may also be recruited to participate on an

expanded Editorial Committee for communications vehicles such as Trek magazine, the

Grad Gazette monthly email newsletter, and the websites of UBC and Alumni Affairs.

Alumni representatives on this task force and the editorial committee will add credibility

and ensure that the perspective of the target audience is fundamental to the strategic

activities of these teams. Hundreds of alumni are already volunteering in different parts of

the university, with many more eager to engage, particularly if the process of finding

opportunities is streamlined (see Volunteer Engagement). Communications has a substantial

role to play in encouraging more alumni to reinvest their time, talent, and treasure in the

university by demonstrating the value and profiling graduates who are already doing so.

2. Take a leadership role in establishing a more standardized approach to

communications with alumni by designing templates that are readily accessible to the

university community on a website or intranet, including:

- Alumni Affairs and Alumni Association logos and graphic identity

- signage (as appropriate, covering UBC’s four key constituent groups of students,

faculty, staff, and alumni)

- stationery, business cards, fax cover sheets, and PowerPoint presentations

- electronic materials such as web sites, email, streaming video etc.

- advertising and marketing materials

Making such materials readily accessible will enable faculties, departments, and business

units to implement their alumni communications in a coordinated and consistent manner

more easily and cost-effectively.

3. Create a more strategic and standardized look for alumni pages on various UBC

websites, including designing the pages to be more prominent and more easily linked to

each other. Faculty alumni pages, for instance, should have stronger links to Alumni Affairs

and other sites such as Career Services, Continuing Studies, and Athletics, as well as to

communications vehicles such as Trek magazine, Grad Gazette, and TrekConnect. There are

significant opportunities to streamline and simplify UBC’s web communications to alumni.

For instance, there is currently an ‘Alumni’ link on www.ubc.ca that leads to a static page

that is rarely updated and offers little, if any, informational value. Given the importance of


21

first impressions and the growing reliance on web-based communications, this page

represents a missed opportunity to connect.

4. Build upon the strengths of Trek magazine by expanding the scope of its Editorial

Committee as described in point 1 of this section. Feedback from the BPR team’s on-

campus walkthroughs indicates that a production schedule for Trek that is communicated

well in advance and adhered to would be welcomed and appreciated. This will encourage

faculties, departments, and business units to promote Trek more actively, especially online.

While Trek is the flagship publication for Alumni Affairs, it is only published three times

annually, with mailings to all alumni that UBC has up-to-date addresses for occurring just

twice a year due to high mailing costs. This is likely not frequent enough to achieve the

communications objectives of being proactive, timely, and relevant. Given ever-increasing

production and mailing costs and UBC’s fast-growing alumni population, creative strategies

to cover some of the expenses of publishing Trek may allow for more frequent editions.

These strategies might include increased advertising and/or financial sponsorships, reducing

the size of each issue, and/or moving aggressively to electronic distribution of Trek.

5. Leverage the potential of the internet by investigating ways to drive messaging through

increased use of web-based applications such as e-releases, e-groups, and e-newsletters as

well as video streaming and blogs. E-communications are fast, efficient, and effective and

offer the added appeal of being a low-cost delivery option with tremendous opportunities

for real-time, two-way interaction. The Internet is rapidly becoming the primary

communications medium of many people, particularly students and recent alumni of

leading, global institutions such as UBC.

The power and potential of e-communications is evident in the recent launch of

TrekConnect, an online social networking tool targeted specifically at UBC’s global alumni.

UBC is the first Canadian university to invest in this proven technology, following the lead

of a number of major U.S. post-secondary institutions. Uptake numbers and growth rates

demonstrate the viral power of online communications. In its first several months,

TrekConnect grew organically from a targeted group of 100 early adopters to more than

8,500 alumni users and is enabling reconnections as well as mentorship and employment

opportunities. The challenge is effectively promoting this online community so it continues

to grow in size and value without being inhibited or hampered by institutional messaging.

One of the greatest alumni communication opportunities that UBC faces is to enable

connections among alumni and then ‘get out of the middle.’


22

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

May 30/06 Jun 20/06 Jun 22/06 July 24/06 July 31/06 Aug 7/06 Aug 14/06 Aug 21/06 Aug 28/06

Date

# o

f al

um

ni

Weekly TrekConnect Statistics * During the week of July 17, 2006 we had 2,000 people register in 4 days.

There is huge potential for the university to assume a leadership role in e-communications. The

BPR team recommends that a cross-functional team be established to investigate a strategic

approach to further developing e-communication capability at UBC.

Outcomes

Effective communications are fundamental to establishing, renewing, and building relationships

and in enabling alumni to stay connected to UBC and to each other. By taking a leadership role

in refining existing strategies and investigating new mechanisms and capabilities, Alumni Affairs

will act as a catalyst in improving communications across the university community.

This should also lead to positive outcomes in the area of advocacy. UBC alumni can, and often

do, play a critical role in shaping policy and operating decisions that can have far-reaching

impact throughout the university. The more informed graduates are about potential or

emerging issues that are relevant to them, the better able they will be to support the university

in its decision-making and positioning with various stakeholders.

A recent case in point is the work Alumni Affairs initiated in partnership with other parts of the

university and with alumni volunteers to introduce President Toope to his new community. A

series of meetings were held in his first days on the job with graduates representing various

business, community, athletic, and other interests as well as with current and former UBC

student government and alumni leaders. The emphasis was on informal, two-way dialogue.

Feedback from alumni has been extremely positive, with follow-up communications to

participants already planned by the President. Initiatives such as this are helping to position

Alumni Affairs much more strategically, both within UBC and in the general community.


23

Online communications are a particular area of opportunity, especially given that UBC’s alumni

population is growing rapidly and getting younger. An important outcome of this strategy is to

design, develop, and deliver new communications channels that reflect these emerging

demographics. The Alumni Engagement Portal concept exemplifies this approach.

3.1.6 Data

Effective data management will simplify and rationalize access to information for both alumni

and the alumni professionals who interact with them. As part of a cohesive and consistently

excellent set of services for students and alumni, online services will enable multi-dimensional

connections among students, alumni, and the university.

3.1.6.1 Data management

UBC personnel involved in capturing, analysing, and utilizing the alumni information in UBC’s

existing data repositories are employed in a heroic struggle to meet the needs of UBC and its

alumni. Much has been achieved by many people and departments through the use of these

systems over time, but their limitations present significant and costly barriers to engaging

alumni. The existing application systems, both sanctioned and unsanctioned, impede our ability

to provide exemplary service.

It was not the mandate of this BPR to measure and quantify the value of the existing systems in

detail. The mandate of this BPR with regard to data was to recommend measurable approaches

for collecting accurate information and supporting integrated identity records. As such, the

team assessed the current systems and made recommendations focused on a strategy to

improve the university’s data management to meet the goal of truly knowing and engaging our

alumni.

Rationale

At present, management of alumni data at UBC is not coordinated effectively. This reflects the

university’s decentralized data and information management practices. In the absence of an

institutional framework to guide collaboration in the development of data management policies

and practices, faculties and departments have done an admirable job to meet their needs and

serve alumni.

Though most major applications and their data repositories (such as Viking and the Student

Information System) are somewhat linked (or capable of being linked), there are many separate

‘silo’ systems containing alumni data. Integration across silos is limited, usually only on a case-

by-case basis specific to needs at hand, using traditional techniques for integration. Each

department or functional area is generally concerned about data it perceives as ‘its data,’ and

cooperation and integration is not adequately leveraged or encouraged for the benefit of all.


24

Due to a real and perceived lack of necessary functionality and ease of use in the large

application systems (SIS and Viking), departments and users currently create their own ‘shadow

systems’ to provide functionality and familiarity that these large systems lack. This occurs

because data content is often not easily accessible and existing systems are not intuitive, are too

complex to use effectively, and lack self-service tools. These shadow systems may be as simple

as individual spreadsheets of alumni and donor contact information, or other personal details

that are not present in the main system. The resource cost of creating and maintaining ad hoc

shadow systems throughout UBC is unknown and, due to their abundance university-wide,

virtually impossible to accurately quantify. Those that are known are the tip of an iceberg

comprised largely of individual personal databases. The presence of such shadow systems, in

addition to preventing efficiencies by not sharing data, creates heightened risks of input and

update errors, loss of data, breaches of security, and loss of privacy and confidentiality.

Some potentially useful information about alumni currently becomes lost, unnecessarily

replicated, or is difficult to access by most users because there is no real or perceived logical

place in a central application system in which to store it. The lack of a commonly known and

used system that stores information such as the individual interests of alumni means that

valuable relationship-building information is not effectively stored, shared, or leveraged.

In order for alumni professionals, administrators, and alumni themselves to maintain accurate

and current data on UBC application systems, the data management strategy must provide the

functionality that users require in a uniformly intuitive and efficient way. Users also must have

secure, managed, and appropriate access based on their administrative roles. If they are unable

to easily derive value from systems, they will have little incentive to contribute information to

them. For example, many users of the Viking system are only able to access certain information

because they have personally figured out how to do so, or because they have informal

relationships with colleagues in a different part of the university, who have shown them how or

given them access.

Viking is being adapted or ‘bent’ in ways not originally intended, requiring expertise or deep

knowledge to extract and use more complicated data. UBC is one of a very few universities still

using Viking, widely considered a legacy system, with few counterparts from whom to draw

examples of solutions. In comparison with more contemporary systems, Viking is not a user-

friendly, self-service, or efficient application system for non-standard data requests.

Furthermore, there is not a consistent and integrated self-service tool set for the same tasks

(such as data analysis, data extraction, and address checking) for all users. Systems that require

users to undergo extensive training and have direct access to domain experts to accomplish core

tasks spawn shadow systems.

While some training in using the Viking system is available, the lack of an organized community

of practice stymies the efforts of individual users to maximize its potential and share solutions.

System and data changes are predominantly conducted independently and in an ad hoc

manner. Users are generally not included in determining system changes, as not all systems

have a cross-sectional body of users to advise and agree upon changes. While the Student


25

Information System has an advisory committee that reviews and contributes to all significant

changes, and the Course Management System has a broad-based community process and

steering committee to guide its evolution, strategy, and operations, Viking currently lacks such

groups or processes.

Vision

Meeting the information needs of users of alumni data is by no means a simple task. Viking

itself, as an outmoded legacy system, does not offer a viable future. To be effective, a new data

management strategy must be created around a more holistic view of processes spanning

departments and systems to meet the service needs of its users. Such a contemporary approach

will require a comprehensive evaluation process undertaken by a collaborative team in

consultation with a range of Viking users. In order to simultaneously work toward having a

vastly improved strategy in place within two to three years, and to enable more effective use of

Viking in the meantime, a four step process is necessary:

1. Implement interim solutions to improve the Viking system. A number of existing

initiatives to improve data management can be expanded and leveraged. There are four

crucial areas to be addressed initially:

a. Data formats and categories between systems such as TrekConnect and Viking will be

harmonized to enable effective and efficient transfer of information such as addresses.

Categories need to be created to record personal interest information that is gathered

by TrekConnect, development officers, and Annual Giving student callers.

b. Updating contact information, a key activity for engaging alumni, will be enabled

through one consistent self-service entry point. At present, address updates in one

system - especially in faculty shadow databases or in the HR database in the case of

alumni working on campus - do not always filter down to other systems. This creates

redundancy and inaccuracy and causes confusion for student/alumni users, who may

incorrectly believe they have changed their contact information for all of UBC.

c. Refined detailed switching for Viking profiles will be implemented and be able to be

utilised by all users. Already, the necessary changes have been made to enable ‘off

switches’ for subunits of communications and contact preferences without turning off

all contact. This functionality will be refined and access to it will be expanded with the

eventual goal of enabling individual alumni to easily self-serve.

d. Improved user interfaces will be implemented to make using Viking more intuitive and

user-friendly. Already, faculty-based fundraising units are using customized Viking

interfaces, and other customized interfaces are in development. Improved user

interfaces will increase efficiency and satisfaction with the data system and encourage

more people to use Viking rather than developing ad hoc shadow systems.

2. Establish governance and planning mechanisms to better steward existing and future

alumni systems in terms of development, integration, operations, management, and


26

administration. These mechanisms should include a coordinating office and formal advisory

and steering committees with terms of reference and broad-based membership that meet

on a regular basis. Strategic and tactical plans, features and functions, and system changes

should be designed explicitly to meet user needs. An active, user-driven community of

practice and development will enable data management systems and strategies to grow

and improve exponentially and build buy-in to maximizing their potential. The diverse needs

of the users of the system should be taken into account in formalizing a collaborative

governance relationship that explicitly includes Development Office, Alumni Affairs, and

UBC IT stewardship.

3. Explore user needs to determine the functionality required in a new data management

strategy. Enabled by improved governance mechanisms, a comprehensive review and

analysis will be undertaken to identify user needs in order to generate a request for

proposal for development of a new strategy.

4. Implement a new data management strategy that is logical, structured, accessible, and

easily updated. Based on the knowledge gained and user and system requirements

identified from the above steps, an appropriate software solution will be identified and

implemented. Core technical attributes of the new data management strategy should be as

follows:

a. focused on the needs of end users: intuitive and user-friendly interface

b. scaleable, rule-based, self-service processes

c. retains departmental stewardship (Alumni Affairs, Advancement Services, Development

Office, UBC IT)

d. utilizes an architecture that:

- supports different business processes by department

- allows search and analysis processes to easily span systems and aggregate data

- allows incremental, modular upgrades

- allows use of components from multiple sources

Outcomes

The current and future scale of fundraising at UBC and the benefits (financial and otherwise) of

increased alumni engagement are substantial. As such, core systems and tools designed with a

more contemporary view of service, integration, automation, and information technology must

be implemented to enable the university’s development and alumni professionals to significantly

increase their effectiveness and efficiency. If an improved data management strategy saves an

hour a week for each user, the aggregate savings each year could be in the hundreds of

thousands of dollars. The savings associated with not mailing letters and Trek magazine to

addresses that are incorrect due to data problems or update lags, similarly, is substantial. Even

larger are the potential fundraising and relationship-building gains that would be unleashed by

systems and tools that are easy to use, accurate, and comprehensive.

Core systems and tools designed with a more contemporary view of service, integration, automation, and information technology must be implemented


27

By undertaking a process to ensure that any new data management strategy is fully aligned

with the needs of its users and with the strategic goals of the university, the sustainability and

return on investment of the new system will be maximized. When, instead of struggling with

and working around a system, staff are able to work through it, they will be able to spend more

of their time meeting and exceeding their goals. A logical system that meets the needs of its

users will enable them to identify and actualize potential that was previously unknown or

unachievable. Such a strategy will also improve the ability to perform more accurate measures

and develop improved benchmarks in the service of effective and integrated strategic planning.

3.1.6.2 Alumni engagement portal

Rationale

As discussed in Communications, there is significant potential to engage alumni through

increased and enhanced online communication. Substantial efficiencies can also be achieved

through online self-service. For example, a highly successful recommendation of the SIMPL BPR

was the concept of online student self-enrolment. Younger people, particularly, are accustomed

to online interfaces - 70.4% of alumni surveyed by the BPR team would use a secure alumni

website that would give them access to all their UBC-specific personal information.12 By the

time students graduate, they are accustomed to dealing with the format and functionality of

the Student Services Centre regularly.

Vision

UBC will extend the model of the Student Services Centre to provide an integrated and ongoing

central portal for alumni that is user-centric, personalized, easy to navigate, informative, and

current. This will put engagement opportunities where new alumni are already used to going,

exemplifying the VP Students portfolio principle of being where students and alumni are. The

Alumni Engagement Portal will facilitate developing, accessing, and retaining multi-dimensional

connections with people, memories, opportunities, achievements, community, news,

information, services, and facilities.

Mirroring the level of customization users have come to expect from dynamic websites and e-

commerce providers, users will be able to manage their personal information and services via an

online interface based on their preferences and needs. By tracking and leveraging this data,

UBC will be able to use the experiences, interests, and affinities of alumni to meet their current

needs, anticipate their future desires, and connect individuals and opportunities.

A successful Alumni Engagement Portal will be characterized by the following traits:

• Self-managed. Users will be able to select and manage their own services, and the portal

will provide personalized service that will significantly improve productivity and efficiency.

12 This statistic is likely somewhat inflated by email distribution of the survey in question and the weighting of responses toward a younger demographic, but is nonetheless significant.


28

• Intuitive. The portal will be easy to use, and will not require formal training. Newer alumni

will experience a natural flow-through from the Student Services Centre, and built-in web

tutorials will help acculturate less technologically savvy alumni.

• Integrated. The portal will provide a seamless single front end interface for all alumni

interactions with systems. Integrated with the Campus Wide Login (or any successor

identity management system), it will eliminate the need for multiple usernames and

updating the same information in multiple places. The services available through the

Alumni Engagement Portal will also be integrated with those provided by Alumni

Engagement Officers and at the Alumni Engagement Centre. For purposes of data

management, the portal will be integrated with the central alumni data management

system and TrekConnect in order to maintain up-to-date information as it is entered or

changed by individual alumni.

The Alumni Engagement Portal will enable efficient and effective management for all aspects of

the alumni relationship, such as:

• Changing contact information

• Identifying volunteer opportunities (see Volunteer Engagement)

• Tracking and redeeming alumni points (see Points/Incentives Program)

• Managing career services (résumés, reference letters, mentoring relationships – see Career

Services)

• Linking to lifelong learning opportunities

• Tracking donation history

• UBC news

• UBC event alerts and sign-ups

Mockup of Alumni Engagement Portal


29

Outcomes

A well-designed portal will open UBC to its alumni, offering seamless service and engagement

opportunities that connect previously unconnected components of their relationships with UBC.

Self-guided service and customization will personalize the alumni experience, as will our

improved ability to ascertain the needs and interests of individual alumni. This will increase

alumni satisfaction in a manner that is both cost effective and scaleable.

3.1.7 Alumni Engagement Centre

The proposed Alumni Engagement Centre at the UBC Vancouver campus will serve as a

gateway and cornerstone for alumni engagement in a range of academic, social, and volunteer

opportunities.

Rationale

Many alumni return to UBC to visit places that defined their university experience as students. In

fact, a survey of alumni conducted in 2005 indicated that 72% of the respondents visited the

UBC Vancouver campus over the last few years, but 44% of those visitors did not feel welcome.

This reflects the reality that there is currently no obvious place for alumni to go to physically

engage.

UBC’s Alumni Affairs office is in Cecil Green Park House, a magnificent heritage building that is

unfortunately located far off the beaten path from most campus activities. Cecil Green is not

wheelchair accessible, and is too small to offer the scale and scope of facilities necessary for a

thriving on-campus meeting place for alumni and other members of the campus community.

A number of leading universities (Stanford, UC Berkeley, National University of Singapore) have

invested in multi-service alumni facilities as part of their strategies to build and strengthen

relations with alumni.

Vision

The proposed (and already in process) Alumni Centre will be a new building located on

University Boulevard, which is the physical and conceptual heart of the campus and the

University Town vision. The University Town project aims to create an integrated, energetic, and

intellectually stirring social environment on campus, and the Alumni Centre will physically

demonstrate the centrality of alumni to that vision – especially given that many campus

residents are alumni. Given its proximity to one of the showcase pieces of University Town, it

will also provide connections to opportunities to explain the benefits of the University Town

concept to alumni, who often have little sense of its relevance to the university’s vision.

Importantly, the planned centre is near to the Student Union Building, which is the hub of

student life at the Vancouver campus but lacks adequate space. The centre will be named the

Alumni Engagement Centre to indicate its scope and explicitly link it to the Alumni Engagement

The Alumni Engagement Centre will be the vibrant focal point for alumni to invest their time, talent and treasure


30

Portal and Alumni Engagement Officers. A natural ‘first stop’ destination, the Alumni

Engagement Centre will be the vibrant focal point for alumni to invest their time, talent and

treasure as well as the headquarters for Alumni Affairs. It will be a vibrant building – a

centrepiece for physical and virtual student and alumni engagement – and will include a

welcome and information centre, gathering spaces, a café, large and small meeting rooms,

historic displays, and potentially a UBC alumni and sports hall of fame. The centre will

encourage global connections through web conferencing facilities to connect to alumni around

the world. It will be equipped and positioned as an office away from home for traveling alumni,

helping to reconnect them to UBC and demonstrate the value of being an alumnus.

The centre will showcase the best of UBC’s past and present while illustrating the promise of

the future. A gateway for alumni engagement in academic, social and volunteer activities, it will

also be a welcoming place for students – tomorrow’s alumni. The centre will be made available

for select academic activities in order to add to the university’s supply of facilities. Activities that

bring together diverse members of UBC’s community will be a critical element of the

programming: volunteer meetings, mentoring sessions, career fairs, graduation events, and

reunions.

Given ongoing discussions around student and staff welcome centres, there is substantial

potential for synergy in enhancing the way we welcome members of the university community.

Outcomes

The Alumni Engagement Centre will become a familiar ‘home’ on campus to many students

long before they graduate, and will be the lynchpin for new forms of alumni engagement at

UBC. By involving alumni in the lives of students and proactively demonstrating the value of

ongoing engagement with the university community, the Alumni Engagement Centre will be

central to fulfilling the potential of UBC’s alumni community.

Bringing the Alumni Engagement Centre to fruition will be a major undertaking, and its

creation can be leveraged to galvanize local alumni and build awareness of the university’s

renewed focus on alumni. The centre will be a physical manifestation of the place of alumni at

UBC – a central constituent with a place always open.

3.2 Building engagement

A set of engagement opportunities and mechanisms will build on the strong foundation laid by

an effective structure and strategy. Events such as graduation, reunions, and open houses will

be strengthened. Career and professional development services will enable the aspirations of

alumni, particularly by enabling them to leverage the UBC alumni network. Alumni will be

engaged as volunteers through programs that offer learning, engagement, and rewards.


31

3.2.1 Imagine graduation

The graduation experience will be refocused into an effective and dynamic student-to-alumni

transition that supports new alumni and inspires them to remain connected to UBC.

Rationale

Graduation ceremonies are a milestone in the life of UBC alumni; a measure of achievement

shared by all graduates. These ceremonies mark the transition into alumni status and to a vast

new community of fellow lifelong learners. The overall message at graduation is currently

‘good-bye’ rather than ‘welcome’. The ceremony unfolds as a culminating, final experience

rather than as a pivotal milestone in a lifelong relationship with UBC. Graduation will be

reconfigured as Imagine Graduation - a bookend with the existing Imagine programming that

all new UBC students experience in their first days on campus. Just as Imagine UBC launches

new students into their UBC careers, Imagine Graduation will launch graduates into new

relationships with UBC and the world around them. The ceremony will be a key time to

celebrate tradition and transition seamlessly to a new relationship with UBC.

Vision

Graduation will generate feelings of pride, strengthen connections, and recognize student

achievement. It will establish graduates as one of the four critical constituents of the UBC

community: students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Currently, graduation ceremonies occur long

after classes are finished. Many graduating students do not perceive a marked transition from

student status to alumni status, and there is little university-wide build-up to the culminating

experience of the graduation ceremony. Although many graduating students are excited by

their graduation ceremony, others do not return because they have moved, begun new jobs, or

simply because the gap between the end of their coursework and their graduation ceremony

diminishes the impact of graduation.

Future ceremonies will occur when the campus is full and vibrant, and will be used as a tool to

promote awareness of the importance of alumni and the alumni transition.13 Successful and

13 At schools such as the University of Washington, Stanford, Duke and NYU, commencement ceremonies are no more than 3 days after classes or exams end; in some cases as soon as the next day. Although administrative and senate


32

popular events like the Faculty of Arts’ ‘One Last Lecture’ will be expanded and scaled up. In the

lead-up to graduation, more opportunities will be created for soon-to-be alumni to develop

relationships that cut across faculty and field of study, like the interdisciplinary world students

are graduating into. As they line up to be led into the ceremony, alumni will speak to new

graduates about what it means to be part of the UBC’s lifelong community. This will be a major

opportunity to segue students into involvement with the Young Alumni organization.

Inspirational alumni speakers will be part of each ceremony, confirming the value of their

degrees and of staying engaged with the university. As graduates walk across the stage, Alumni

Affairs representatives currently hand them a pin. Graduates will continue to receive a pin as

well as an alumni membership card granting them continued access to UBC facilities and

services. If they choose (in their graduation application), they will receive a UBC business card

holder and a set of business cards with their name and the UBC alumni logo on them, as is the

successful practice of the Vancouver Board of Trade ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ program. This will

provide graduates with a valuable networking tool as they move into the professional world or

further into academia.

The experience of graduating students and their families will be memorable for all that UBC

does to make it easy and wonderful.

• The graduation mall set up in the flag pole plaza will deemphasize UBC paraphernalia and

focus on delivering services, opportunities, and value to new alumni.

• Reaction has been overwhelmingly positive to having volunteers move students into

residence. A similar program for departing students will be implemented.

• Partnerships with local alumni businesspeople will be used to enhance and streamline

family arrangements. For instance, assistance will be provided for booking celebration

lunches and dinners.

• UBC block bookings at hotels will bring together diverse UBC families in the days around

graduation, enabling new relationships.

• Post-graduation receptions at the Alumni Engagement Centre will welcome graduates to

their new role in the UBC community.

The departing memories of alumni and their families will be ones that reinforce their belief in

the power and vision of the UBC community and make them want to stay engaged.

Outcomes

The first week at UBC builds lasting relationships and shows snapshots of countless

opportunities during one’s time as a student. Imagine Graduation will provide snapshots of

future opportunities and of the value of ongoing engagement with UBC, while helping soon-to-

be alumni to build connections and communities. The departing memories of alumni and their

families will be ones that reinforce their belief in the power and vision of the UBC community

processing time is an obvious obstacle to moving graduation ceremonies forward, there are numerous workaround options that should be explored further.


33

and make them want to come back. Alumni will be engaged as such from the moment they

graduate, and both they and UBC will be much better served as a result.

3.2.2 Reunions and reconnections

By expanding and diversifying opportunities for reconnection, as well as the groups they bring

together, UBC will more effectively capture and serve the interests of its alumni.

Rationale

The standard model for reunion events has generally focused on graduation years and programs

of study. However, dramatic increases in the scale and scope of enrolment in recent years,

combined with diverse opportunities for co-curricular engagement, mean such simple

segmentation is no longer reflective of alumni affinities and communities. Many students no

longer finish their undergraduate degrees in four years, which reduces the relevance of

graduating years as a sorting mechanism – the group an alumnus graduated with may not be

the group they most identify with.

For instance, at the Medicine graduates of 1980 reunion held in 2005, the reunion committee

identified several graduates from 1981 that they wanted invited to their reunion. In this case,

the individuals had all started with the Class of ’80 but, for various reasons, technically

graduated a year later. However, these alumni thought of themselves and were thought of as

part of the Class of ’80.

Alumni often identify with groups such as a residence floor, a sports team, or a club. A shift of

focus must occur in order to maximize the value for alumni of reconnection with UBC and with

one another.

Vision

Reunions, rather than being based only on graduation years and degrees, will also be based on

groups that reflect shared experiences and affinities. A reunion open to all Imagine UBC

participants, scheduled for the 2006 Alumni Reunion Weekend, embodies this new approach in

which alumni have the opportunity to remember and celebrate shared seminal experiences.

Similarly, in 2005, the Young Alumni Network committee undertook the planning of a Young

Alumni Weekend event to coincide with Alumni Reunion Weekend. All graduates of the last 10

years were invited to come to campus and take part in a weekend full of events that aimed to

reintroduce our more recent grads to the changes happening on campus and to network with

each other. For the first time, a Young Alumni event was sold out.

By proactively gauging interest in reunions from specific affinity groups through word of mouth

and tools such as TrekConnect, UBC will be able to better capture, enable, and leverage the

existing momentum of such groups. Furthermore, by enabling alumni to connect through

communities of interest and practice, the university will enable alumni-to-alumni exchanges of

value without being ‘in the way.’ Creating online reunion organization tools to augment

Reconnection events should reflect not only alumni’s interests and involvements while they were enrolled at UBC but


34

existing information and resources will help accomplish this. Reconnection events should reflect

not only alumni’s interests and involvements while they were enrolled at UBC, but also their

current and future interests and aspirations. They should occur wherever and whenever they are

most convenient for alumni.

Outcomes

By expanding and diversifying reunion and reconnection activities, UBC will more effectively

capture and serve the interests of its alumni. Anecdotal evidence tells of many groups of UBC

alumni who connect regularly ‘outside’ the UBC system. If the university builds on existing

supports and procedures to enable alumni-driven reunions and reconnections, it can better

bring these groups ‘into the fold,’ increasing their sense of engagement and ongoing value

from the university.

3.2.3 UBC open houses

UBC Open House events will bring together students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the external

community, exposing them to new and different aspects of the campuses and reinvigorating

their mutually beneficial relationships with the university and with each other.

Rationale

A common complaint from alumni is a lack of familiarity with UBC’s campuses, current events,

and community groups. 72% of surveyed alumni have visited the Vancouver campus in the last

few years, but 44% indicate that they feel unwelcome in doing so. This lack of familiarity and

inclusion makes alumni less likely to return to campus or to visit in the first place and to engage

in activities such as volunteering, mentoring, and interacting with current students. It is also an

obstacle to their engagement with UBC as a source of lifelong learning. UBC has not held an

open house event in approximately a decade.

Numerous other leading universities, such as the University of Western Ontario, the University of

Washington, and Stanford, hold annual university-wide open houses, with attendance as high

as tens of thousands. Reunions, lectures, tours, live entertainment, sporting events, and

interaction with students, faculty, staff and alumni provide diverse engagement opportunities

for members of their broad communities and the public.

Vision

An annual (or biannual, triennial, or quadrennial) event that opens the campuses to all comers,

with special events for students, faculty, staff, and alumni – the four pillars of our community –

will help engage alumni and jump-start multi-dimensional connections among alumni, the

community, and the university.

Building on the current annual Alumni Weekend will leverage existing budgets and the basic

framework that is already in place. However, for the event to be truly impactful and successful,


35

UBC must establish a cross-functional team of faculty, staff, students, and alumni to develop a

campus-wide open house.

As demonstrated at other institutions, explicit support from UBC’s President will reinforce the

importance of the event and motivate the campus to participate. At a similar event at the

University of Washington, the university president sets the tone for their reunion weekend by

mandating that all business units be open to serve the returning alumni. The entire university

should be made accessible to alumni, parents, students, faculty, staff, and friends. The doors of

all campus facilities and units will be thrown open for ‘classes without quizzes’, sports and

recreation activities, and other special events, creating a sense of welcome and showcasing the

university’s diverse activities and accomplishments. A wide range of programming will provide

activities for alumni and community members of all ages and interests. University and alumni

leaders such as members the Board of Governors and Alumni Association Board of Directors will

be invited to play a prominent role.

Effective planning will enable the Open House event to leverage existing reunion events,

creating a greater incentive for alumni abroad to join those in the Lower Mainland in returning

to UBC. Facilitating accommodations for returning alumni (through regional travel

arrangements and discounted block bookings ) will increase the likelihood of their attending.

Parking will be free, and public transportation to and around campus will be provided at no

charge to users, made possible through partnership with Translink as a demonstration of UBC’s

sustainability commitment.

Outcomes

The Open House event will create a feeling of welcome and belonging for returning alumni and

an opportunity to learn about what is happening on campus. It will also be a major opportunity

to expose alumni to opportunities for engagement such as volunteering, mentoring, and

continuing education. It will be a chance for alumni to mingle and build networks within and

around the UBC community.

Open Houses will also present an ideal opportunity for prospective students to tour the campus

accompanied by alumni, parents, and friends who are familiar with the university and often

have fond memories. Diverse, family-friendly events will bring in a wide audience including

alumni parents and prospective students. This will increase UBC’s presence in the community

and its profile among alumni, potential students, the media, and the general public. For

individual faculties and departments, Open Houses will provide a vital opportunity for

awareness, recognition, and potentially recruitment.

3.2.4 Career and professional development

UBC will provide outstanding and continuous career and professional development to its

students and alumni, enabling them to leverage the reputation of the university and strength of

the alumni network into personal success.

The doors of all campus facilities and units will be thrown open.


36

Rationale

Career services provided to UBC students are of excellent quality, garnering international

awards. Recent surveys confirm that connections with other alumni, intellectual attachments to

UBC, and post-graduation career and personal transitions are of vital importance to alumni. Yet,

they are currently identified as lacking. 78% of students identify post-graduate transitions as

important, and 42% believe they need to be addressed urgently.14 There is a clear need to

improve awareness of existing career services and provide increased scaleable services that can

be used by many students and alumni without prohibitive cost.

The Career Services department is eager to engage with graduates to drive value to students

and alumni by enriching their services to meet the needs of both. The TrekConnect online

networking service can facilitate résumé storage and job postings, and Career Services is eager

to leverage these possibilities to provide seamless multidirectional value to students and alumni.

Career explorations and transitions provide valuable and long-lasting opportunities to engage

with our alumni and demonstrate the value of the alumni network. Alumni in the workforce are

vital ambassadors of UBC’s reputation, providing major opportunities to promote the excellence

of the university globally and - especially given the 73.5% of our alumni who live or work in the

Lower Mainland - locally.15

Vision

To maximize the quality of its educational product, UBC must focus on aiding alumni in career

explorations and transitions. Simultaneously, we must work to make students and alumni more

aware of the resources available to them.

UBC will provide practical, valuable, user-centred services that help alumni transition to new

careers and enable them to be successful in their chosen paths, while building their

engagement with UBC. A network of individuals, departments, and organizations working in

distributed collaboration will provide an integrated range of career services. The experience

across the continuum from student to alumni will be coordinated and personalized. Career

education, development of knowledge and skills, mentoring, co-op, and other opportunities will

be integrated to meet specific stages and milestones in the diverse lifecycles of individuals:

• student

• career exploration

• student to alumni transition

• changing careers

• retraining

• starting businesses

There are many opportunities to deliver value at each life stage. Some potential examples are:

14 AMS Survey of Students, 2006. 15 Internal source: Alumni Affairs


37

• Student

- mentoring

- co-op education

- job shadowing

- volunteer opportunities

- co-curricular activities and transcripts

- resume and cover letter preparation training

- job interview training

• Student to alumni transition

- Real Life 101’ classes (money management, managing credit, personal banking, dining

etiquette, wine knowledge, etc.)

- targeted services for entrepreneurial students (see below)

- free UBC alumni branded business cards for networking and job searching

- ongoing access to career services

- online résumé and cover letter storage

• Changing careers/retraining

- personalized alerts of potential jobs based on alumni profiles

- ongoing access to career services

- tools to identify and connect with alumni who have made similar transitions

- networking and mentoring

• Entrepreneurialism

- access to UBC courses for small business skills

- expert advice and assistance for alumni starting businesses

- assistance locating venture financing

- support from UBC for alumni companies (started by and employing alumni)

- networking and mentoring with alumni executives in similar areas of interest

- ability to use UBC career resources to find potential employees

Greater engagement with alumni by student service units will be strongly supportive of lifelong

learning, with UBC acting as an ongoing source of valuable connections and knowledge.

Technical training, professional development, executive education, and retraining will be

leveraged with opportunities to reconnect alumni to UBC rather than lose them to other post-

secondary facilities.

Of equal importance to increasing the value of career services will be increasing knowledge of

and access to that value by students and alumni. Units such Career Services and Student

Development can yield substantial benefits from greater engagement with alumni. Students

who are mentored by more experienced students or alumni are more likely to become mentors

themselves. For instance, 94% of mentee participants in the VP Students Emerging Leaders

Program indicated they would like to be involved in future years, with 77% indicating they


38

would be interested in serving as a program mentor.16 Increasing alumni involvement with

career and development programming will add considerable value and help to contain costs.

Milestones such as the existing Imagine orientation programming and Imagine Graduation will

be tied into messaging around the evolving roles and growing skills of students and alumni.

This, along with the considerable potential of TrekConnect, will provide opportunities for

different generations of alumni to network. A major emphasis of career programming will be

the immense value and diverse expertise that UBC’s alumni network is able to provide to

graduates, students, and the university.

As is provided at some leading American universities (such as the University of Michigan), UBC

alumni will be offered online storage of résumés and reference letters, potentially using an

upgraded version of existing MyCV software in conjunction with TrekConnect and the Alumni

Engagement Portal. Just as transcripts can currently be delivered to another university in a

sealed UBC envelope through a simple online interface, easy online or physical delivery of

‘certified’ reference letters from UBC faculty or staff will be available.

When students graduate, they will be given free UBC alumni branded business cards, which will

provide them with a practical tool for networking and job seeking while simultaneously

enhancing the reputation of UBC. Companies founded or run by UBC alumni will be

encouraged to use a specially designed UBC logo and to make their UBC connections part of

their brands. Such initiatives will simultaneously offer alumni value and reinforce the reputation

of UBC in the employment market.

Outcomes

By creating an integrated approach to career services and professional development, UBC will

create a stronger bond between students, alumni, and the university. Graduates will be better

prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of their futures with confidence, working

toward fulfilling and meaningful lives as engaged global citizens. When UBC alumni are

successful, the university’s profile and reputation will be enhanced. UBC will prove that it values

its students and alumni and become a recognized leader in targeted career and professional

development services throughout alumni lifecycles. Offering excellent career services to students

will increase their likelihood of returning for similar services as alumni. They will also be more

likely to return the favour in mentor and volunteer roles, helping to build cycle of growing

engagement.

3.2.5 Volunteer engagement

Alumni volunteer programs promoting lifelong learning and civic engagement will be the

natural extension of student volunteerism, encouraging ongoing engagement through the

student to alumni transition. Alumni Affairs will work with other units to support and celebrate

16 Internal source: Student Development


39

community service learning while providing value to the university by more effectively

integrating volunteers at all levels.

While 83% of Canadians report volunteering in their community and 45% are involved with

recognized non-profit organizations, only 0.9% of UBC graduates currently volunteer at UBC in

ways that we have been able to identify.17 Yet, a recent survey of UBC alumni revealed that

volunteering for UBC is important to 44% of participants. Extrapolating this percentage to

UBC’s total alumni population of 225,000 could mean that, optimistically, up to 90, 000

graduates could be interested in volunteering with UBC in some capacity.18

The Trek 2010 vision document calls for UBC to prepare students and graduates to become

exceptional global citizens and promote the values of a civil and sustainable society. UBC is

successful in working with major gift donors, and the time has come to encourage and enable

our alumni to give in new ways - by giving of their time and talents. As the university continues

to encourage global citizenship, Alumni Affairs will develop structured programs in partnership

with the Learning Exchange, Go Global, and Continuing Studies to manage, support, retain,

and recognize volunteers while reaffirming UBC’s commitment to lifelong learning and global

citizenship.

3.2.5.1 Points/incentives program

Rationale

A critical component of maintaining a strong volunteer base is making information easily

available and tracking volunteer engagement. There is currently no central tracking system at

UBC for information on existing volunteers or on opportunities to become involved as a

volunteer. Nor is there any overarching policy or structure governing the way UBC engages with

volunteers. What data exists is stored in disparate files that are not shared among individuals

and departments. When alumni express an interest in volunteering, there is no logical

mechanism for them to become involved and no effective referral system.

Most volunteerism happens on an ad hoc basis. There are a substantial number of alumni who

volunteer informally, but an absence of simple systems to track them and a lack of incentives

for them to self-report activities. For example, the 0.9% of alumni volunteering that we are able

to identify is belied by survey results in which 13% of alumni indicated that they volunteered for

UBC in a non-mentoring capacity and 20% indicated that they volunteered as mentors. The

existing Alumni Affairs points system is a strong start in a system to track alumni engagement,

but lacks adequate infrastructure. Simultaneously, the alumni A-Card is intended to create a

sense of membership and offer privileges such as library access and campus discounts to

alumni. Combining the two and creating an improved infrastructure will better achieve the

goals of both.

17 Statistics Canada. Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians: Highlights from the 2004 Canadian Survey of Giving Volunteering and Participating. GPO, 2006. 18 Self-selection of survey participation likely skews this statistic considerably, but the message is nonetheless clear.


40

Vision

The BPR team suggests the implementation of a new incentive program that is transparent and

can be self-serviced by individual alumni through the Alumni Engagement Portal. Services will

expand from existing A-card offerings to encompass more UBC-related activities – both on and

off campus – that will bring greater value to alumni. The alumni points program and the A-card

will both be integrated and connected to Viking, gathering and consolidating important data on

usage, demographics, and alumni interests and activities that can be then used to deliver

further value to the alumni.

In its new form, the A-card will function much like other affinity point cards. Upon graduation,

alumni will receive their A-card in their alumni welcome packages. Alumni will accrue points on

their cards through interactions with UBC such as volunteering, attending events, mentorship,

or address updates. For instance, an hour of volunteering at the UBC Botanical Gardens may be

worth 300 points, while updating an address might be worth 50. The A-card may also be used

to track event attendance: a card scanner with a sign indicating a door prize will allow alumni

to track their own attendance by self-service, which will reduce the necessary paperwork to

keep track of attendance.

Redemption of rewards will be similarly tiered – a one-day parking pass might be worth 100

points, while a ticket package to see a prominent speaker at the Chan Centre that includes

discounted tickets, early access, and no wait in line might be worth 1000 points. Rewards will

include UBC-centred activities such as free campus parking passes, room rental discounts, and

ticket packages for academic, sports or cultural events at UBC. An interactive website,

integrated with the Alumni Engagement Portal, will allow alumni to view their current points,

track their volunteer or interaction hours, and redeem their points from a list or rewards.

The new points system will include specific activities and rewards for the UBC Okanagan region,

as well as more general rewards accessible and valuable to alumni anywhere in the world.

The following examples illustrate the potential range of activities and rewards:

• Collecting points

- Volunteering

- Attending events

- Mentoring

- Updating address/information

- Alumni Association Board

membership

- Sitting on advisory committees

- Sending in a business card that indicates

UBC alumni status

- Buying UBC alumni branded

merchandise

- Being active on TrekConnect

• Internal rewards

- Free campus parking passes

- Library access

- Discounts at AMS businesses

- Food Services discounts

- Gage Conference Centre discounts

- UBC Robson Square bookings


41

- Aquatic Centre access

- Museum of Anthropology access

- Chan Centre concerts and lectures

- Botanical Garden access

- Continuing Education discounts

- Tuition waivers

- UBC merchandise at cost or free

- UBC Bookstore books and services at cost

- Career Services rewards

- UBC Athletics events

- Freddy Wood/Norm Theatre events

- UBC Golf Course packages (via

partnership)

- Affinity partner offers

• UBC Okanagan-specific rewards

- Free/discounted tickets to UBC-O

Lakers games

- Wine offerings – tours, tastings, etc.

- Ski offerings

- Golf packages

- Boat Rentals

- Hotel discounts

- Restaurant discounts

Outcomes

The integrated incentive point system will facilitate connections between alumni and the

university through volunteerism; between alumni and students through mentoring, job

shadowing and placement; and from alumni to alumni throughout. The system will not only

drive value to alumni, but also bring value to the university in the form of increased alumni

interaction, opportunities for data collection, and the promotion of the UBC profile through a

stronger alumni base. A further outcome will be an anticipated increase in donations, as the

lifetime donations of volunteers are statistically six times those of non-volunteers.19

3.2.5.2 Volunteer certification

Vision

The most involved UBC volunteers will be invited to work toward an optional ‘Master Trekker’

volunteer certification of core competencies that works in parallel to the point system. Like the

Duke of Edinburgh program for high school students, the certification will recognize volunteer

service, skills development, leadership, commitment, and self-challenge in a tiered manner (e.g.

bronze, silver, and gold levels). A set of categories will be identified (e.g. community service,

leadership, mentoring, and governance), with volunteers able to select specializations in

addition to core training.

An integrated human resources approach will ‘plug in’ volunteers in a knowledge and skills-

based manner in all areas and levels of the university. Requirements that can be quantified for

each skill area (e.g. one term on an advisory committee, or 25 hours of mentoring) will be

defined and tracked via the alumni points system. Through the UBC volunteer management

program, individuals will also be able to volunteer with community partners on behalf of UBC

and accrue credit toward their certification. Upon completion of the requirements for a given

tier, volunteers will be given a certificate and letter signed by the program director and, for each 19 Internal source: Alumni Affairs


42

higher tier, a more senior university administrator, culminating with the president. A cohort of

each tier will be recognized annually at the Alumni Achievement Dinner and through alumni

communications materials, scaling up recognition of alumni community contributors.

Outcomes

The Volunteer Certification program will be a natural extension of volunteer management and

recognition programs for students, encouraging ongoing engagement after the student to

alumni transition. The program will enable UBC to tap into a vast wealth of human capital

through an integrated HR approach, providing an infusion of much-needed capacity and

reducing dependence on consultants. It will provide deeper and more effective engagement

opportunities as volunteers use their individual talents and networks in a targeted way. As a

result of the program, both UBC and the volunteers will have incentives to diversify areas and

types of engagement.

In addition to personal development, a formalized volunteer designation will enable alumni to

easily and effectively leverage their UBC volunteer experience into career advancement. This will

position them as an affirmation of UBC’s reputation and UBC as a guarantor of their own

reputations. UBC-facilitated volunteers in the community will enhance the university’s

reputation by making UBC the place to go for high-quality volunteers. The program will be

highly scaleable and establish best practices that can be expanded to other institutions,

reaffirming UBC’s leadership role in alumni engagement, community service learning, and

global citizenship.

3.3 Outcomes

3.3.1 Return on engagement

Through increased and more strategic engagement of graduates’ time, talent, and treasure,

investment in the UBC alumni experience will yield tangible returns for both alumni and the

university.

The program will enable UBC to tap into a vast wealth of human capital


43

Return on engagement for Alumni

Effectively engaging alumni will allow them to better recognize and leverage the lifelong value

of their UBC degrees and experiences through multi-dimensional connections with other

alumni, students, the university, and the broader community. Alumni relationships with the

university, and especially with its community of lifelong learning, will be motivated and

enhanced by a tangible sense of value and engagement.

Mentoring programs, for instance, offer a stimulating relationship to both student or young

alumni mentees and more experienced alumni mentors. Such involvement can also draw alumni

back into the UBC community and act as a catalyst in encouraging them to become involved in

other ways. Especially as alumni grow older and seek ways to add new energy, meaning, and

focus to their lives, reconnecting with people (faculty, staff, fellow alumni, students) who they

may have lost touch with is increasingly valuable. Becoming involved with something they can

be passionate about will stimulate growth, personal enrichment, and feelings of self-worth.

Organizational and philosophical changes, in combination with more and better-targeted

services, will create additional worthwhile and rewarding engagement opportunities for alumni.

A range of enhanced programming (from mentoring, to career assistance, to volunteer

certification) will enable their aspirations. When the value of their relationships with UBC is

obvious, alumni will be more likely to reinvest their diverse accomplishments into enabling the

success of other UBC students and alumni. This expanding cycle of engagement will widen over

time to include more and more alumni, providing greater value to more people. As UBC’s

alumni programs evolve, graduates will both benefit from the university’s reputation and

increasingly recognize and celebrate the value of their UBC experiences.

Return on engagement for UBC

By delivering services more efficiently through greater strategic coordination, the diverse gains

from improving alumni engagement will outweigh the costs. As a more scaleable and

sustainable state of alumni engagement emerges, there will be opportunities to enhance

financial returns through more widespread donations from graduates. The most important and

impactful returns, however, will be evident in the enhancement of UBC’s reputation and in the

improved ability to provide value to alumni, students, the university, and the broader

community. Alumni who are visibly, constructively, and rewardingly engaged will help inspire

growing engagement among students, faculty, staff, and other alumni. As a result, the real and

perceived quality and relevance of the university’s educational and research product will

improve, and potential supporters of all kinds will be drawn to UBC’s accomplishments and

potential.


44

Return on engagement can be measured in time, talent, and treasure:

Time

Engaged alumni will share their most precious resource with the university - their time. Surveys

indicate that potentially tens of thousands of graduates want to become more engaged with

UBC, many of whom would like to do so through volunteerism. Properly organized and

channelled, increased volunteer engagement will bring a new wave of resources to the

university in areas such as:

• Research study participants

• Governance volunteers on committees, boards, and steering groups

• Mentors for students and fellow alumni

• Alumni (particularly parents) involved in student recruitment

When structures are in place to effectively manage, recognize, and reward volunteers (as

outlined in Volunteer Engagement), they will be able to invest their time in UBC productively

and rewardingly.

Additionally, substantial staff time and resources can be saved throughout the university by

creating more efficient systems and developing greater collaboration and resource sharing. For

instance, creating a more effective and efficient alumni data system will save countless hours,

allowing development and alumni professionals to spend more time engaging alumni.

Talent

UBC is among the top 40 research universities in the world. Our graduates are highly trained

critical thinkers and, increasingly, internationally-oriented global citizens. Why not, then, enable

and encourage them to actively turn their sights on UBC and engage their intellectual firepower

as partners in helping UBC attain the Trek 2010 goals?

The potential is enormous when we engage our alumni as:

• highly skilled experts sharing their knowledge, rather than hiring expensive external

consultants

• passionate advocates in their many communities of interest and influence, including

government

• lecturers and mentors to students

Within the university, we can save precious time and resources by introducing more efficient

processes and systems and focusing our personnel on doing what they were hired to do and do

best – whether that be donation solicitation, alumni engagement, or ground-breaking research.

In addition, UBC will be better supported in its ongoing efforts to both attract and retain faculty

and staff, more than 4,500 of whom are alumni of the university. Alumni will also be better


45

positioned to help in the recruitment of talented new faculty and staff, which will assist UBC in

meeting the challenges of the People Plan.

Treasure

People who are in a rewarding relationship with an organization with a mission that matches

their values are much more likely to give financially, as they understand and believe in what

they are giving to. When alumni are actively engaged and motivated, we can expect

substantially increased donations at all levels – annual giving, major gifts, and planned gifts. As

we shift our focus to delivering ongoing value to alumni, particularly in the years immediately

following their graduations, they will have a deeper relationship and ultimately be more likely to

feel positive about supporting UBC.

As well, those who are donors will be much more likely to reach out to friends, family, and

fellow alumni to support projects they believe in. The recent highly-successful fundraising

campaign to build a new boathouse for UBC rowers speaks to the power of campaigns driven

by passionate alumni, and could be just the tip of a largely untapped iceberg.

Alumni will also be aware of and inclined to support opportunities to invest in UBC in other

ways such as:

• providing critical financial support to UBC start-up companies

• being clients for a wide range of Continuing Studies programs

• enabling support of research programs

• encouraging corporate sponsorship or other support of targeted initiatives

• purchasing homes in University Town

Continual reinvestment of the time, talent, and treasure of alumni will provide the very

resources necessary to implement the recommendations of this report in a sustainable and cost

effective manner.

Realistic expectations

Change will not happen overnight. And, we likely do not yet know some of the most effective

ways to maximize alumni engagement. However, by establishing a cohesive framework and

implementing an ambitious set of initiatives, we will position UBC to move toward excellence.

Over a period of years, growth should be achieved in areas such as:

• graduation attendance

• volunteerism and mentoring

• alumni use of UBC services

• annual and targeted alumni donations

• Alumni programming and participation throughout University departments

• interest in university news, events, and issues


46

It may be difficult to measure specific impacts in some areas due to lack of baseline data, but

creating improved metrics and benchmarks to gauge progress will be a considerable leap in

itself. A coordinated system of metrics must be developed with targets for all relevant units. By

creating explicit and broad-based measures of our level of success in engaging alumni, we will

be able to better quantify progress year over year, recognize and develop relationships between

different metrics, and identify outstanding achievements and areas for improvement.

3.3.2 Meeting the UBC Vision

Better engaging alumni will help the university to meet its vision of preparing exceptional global

citizens, promoting the values of a civil and sustainable society, and conducting outstanding

research.

Engaging alumni more actively will assist the university in meeting its Trek 2010 goals of

preparing exceptional global citizens, promoting the values of a civil and sustainable society,

and conducting outstanding research. As a natural extension of their experiences as students,

more alumni will be actively engaged with UBC and the broader community. Such alumni will

embody the values of a civil and sustainable society and act as ambassadors for UBC’s vision –

locally, regionally, nationally, and globally.

Most importantly, the changes recommended in this report will help to create the foundation

for ongoing growth. In additional to improving the current state, they will provide a strategic

framework to enable further review and renewal in the years to come. As academic and co-

curricular standards and expectations continue to rise and universities become increasingly

competitive in areas such as alumni engagement and services, UBC’s visible and proactive

recognition of the need for improvement will help in driving satisfaction among its alumni.

Meeting the university’s vision may require rethinking the vision itself and, particularly, the place

of alumni in it. A new philosophy toward alumni must be recognized to bring a new level of

engagement to fruition. Alumni must be visibly recognized as stakeholders. Just as students

have become an explicit part of the university’s vocabulary in recent years, the key constituents

of UBC must be expanded to include students, faculty, staff, and alumni. A corresponding shift

must also occur in terms of alumni access to services and resources such as career assistance, as

well as specific inclusion in university events and publications.

Relative to the impact it will have on UBC’s ability to meet its vision and mission, the costs of

implementing the recommendations of this report will be relatively low, and its distributed

execution and benefits will help to build engagement with alumni throughout the university.

The philosophical shifts outlined will underpin many tangible initiatives, but the process of

bringing those initiatives to life will also help to engender belief in the philosophies themselves.

Similarly, as more alumni become engaged, they will provide an ongoing infusion of time,

talent, and treasure which will enable the scope of alumni engagement to be continually

broadened and deepened. Investment in alumni engagement will not come at a zero-sum cost


47

to other aspects of the university but, rather, will ultimately provide widespread benefit and

push UBC as a whole to greater heights of achievement.

The impact of implementing the recommendations of this report will come not only from the

doing, but also from the vital message that the decision to do so will send during a time of

change and renewal for UBC as a whole. Emotional connections, openness to engagement, and

the excitement of renewal are finite resources that must be seized upon at their pinnacle, and

by decisively “walking the talk,” the university will do so.

3.3.3 Global impact

UBC will cement its global relevance and assume a more prominent leadership role in alumni

engagement, community service learning, and global citizenship.

By providing an integrated and cohesive set of services and opportunities that flow seamlessly

from students to alumni and throughout their lives, UBC will provide a best practice example to

universities around the world. UBC will cement its global relevance and assume a more

prominent leadership role in alumni engagement, community service learning, and global

citizenship. The university’s visible achievements will reinvigorate a growing cycle of alumni

interest and engagement. The benefits of greater alumni engagement will be broadly visible

throughout UBC, not just in alumni-focused portfolios.

To reflect its status as one of the top 40 research universities in the world, UBC must enhance

alumni engagement and work to encourage and enable its alumni to have the global impact

they are capable of, which will benefit both alumni and the world. When our graduates truly

manifest the university’s goals of global citizenship and civic engagement, UBC will benefit

directly. When our alumni are the first who leap to mind to fill roles with global dimensions,

they will benefit the international community and also benefit UBC indirectly by acting as

ambassadors of the university’s reputation and values around the world. For instance, when

UBC alumni volunteer alongside UBC students to strengthen physical and intellectual

infrastructure in a developing nation, they will be strengthening their engagement with the

university’s mission. They will also be demonstrating the positive impact of their UBC

experiences, enhancing the university’s reputation.

UBC presently connects with alumni around the world through some 54 global networks.

Through more effective use of communications and technology, geography will become less of

a barrier. A tightly knit web will fill in the gaps between existing hubs of connection,

consolidating the university’s global alumni community and enabling greater engagement. This

multidirectional web of connection will enable graduates and the university itself to learn and

grow from the diverse experiences of alumni, wherever they live.


48

3.4 Implementation

3.4.1 Regionalization

In regionalizing alumni support and engagement, consistent messaging will be balanced with

individualized service. One overarching mission, mandate and philosophy around alumni

relations will encompass all campuses. UBC Okanagan graduates, for instance, will not be made

to feel that they have graduated from a separate or inferior program of study, and overarching

core messages and values will be retained. In line with the philosophy of user-centricity,

philosophies and services will be tailored to the UBC Okanagan community and affinity group.

Geographically-based programming will make engaging with UBC Okanagan easy and intuitive

for those in the region. UBC Okanagan graduates living in the Lower Mainland will be able to

engage easily with UBC Vancouver, and vice versa. Intersecting affinities will be recognized, and

regionalization will be an opportunity to enhance engagement rather than an obstacle.

3.4.2 Quick wins

Simple and inexpensive small changes can make a significant difference in engaging alumni. To

demonstrate this to the Executive Steering Committee and make them active parts of the

process of change, the BPR team assigned each member a ‘quick win’ at the July 4th report

preview meeting. Examples include:

• Adding an alumni ‘tick box’ to HR hiring forms to better track alumni who work at UBC

• Tracking how many alumni take Continuing Education classes

• Filling the designated Alumni Association seat on AMS Council

• Raising the profile of alumni at the Imagine UBC orientation for new students

• Improving faculty alumni websites

• Exploring the possibility of UBC ‘email for life’ for alumni

As of late August, many Quick Wins were underway. For instance, alumni-related messaging

was prominent in speeches at Imagine, and an Olympian alumna was a featured speaker at the

Imagine pep rally.

3.4.3 Next steps

After ESC approval, the context and content of this report will be explained to the UBC

community in a timely, candid, and compelling manner, and buy-in will be sought through a

comprehensive communications plan that demonstrates its potency and value to stakeholders.

The release of the report will initiate dialogues around the university on the role of alumni,

which will mark a substantial step toward achieving the coherent attitudinal shifts necessary to

enable its goals. To bring the more concrete recommendations to fruition, an interconnected

set of cross-functional implementation teams will be assembled that cover areas of the report.


49

Initial steps will include benchmarking the current state using newly-defined metrics, thus

allowing effective ongoing measurement of the impact of the recommended changes. Guided

by project charters, the implementation teams will be responsible for detailed project planning.

This project planning phase will include developing detailed cost and resource estimates, which

do not typically fall under the main BPR team methodology. Individual units will implement

aspects of the plan at different speeds, as resources and planning processes allow.

During its work, the BPR team assembled a rough timeline including an initial outline of some

possible implementation committees, which will be refined in discussion with stakeholders:


50

3.4.3.1 Rough implementation timeline

Program Metric Analysis

Annual Alumni Survey

5. MEASUREMENT

4.2.5.2 Volunteer Certification

4.2.5.1 Points & Incentives Program

4.1.5.1.5 Use of New Media in Communications

4.1.5.1.2 Standardize Alumni Communications

4.1.5..1 Alumni Communications Task Force

4.1.4.1.5 New Metrics Established

4.1.4.2 Strategic Coordination Committee

4.1.3 Lifecycle/Milestones

4.1.6.2 Alumni Engagement Portal


4.1.4.1.3 Alumni Engagement Officers

4.2.1 Imagine Graduation

4.1.2 Philosophy Acceptance

4. NEW PROGRAMMING

3. PROGRAM ADJUSTMENTS

2. IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEES

1. COMMUNICATIONS

4.1.6.4 Implement New Data Systems

4.1.6.3 Data Review of Users Needs

4.1.6.2 Data Governance and Planning

4.1.6.1 Data Interim Solutions

4.1.4.1.4 Annual Fund Solicitation Schedule

4.1.4.1.1 Support UBC Buttons on Websites

4.1.4.4 Research Services for Alumni

4.1.4.1 Re-name VP Students Portfolio

4.2.3 Open Houses

4.2.2 Reunions

4.2.4 Career & Professional Development

4.1.1 Definition of Alumni

Alumni Engagement Centre

Metrics

Development

Volunteers

Data

Quarterly Updates

Initial Report Out to 20 Key Groups

Jan -Mar 09

Oct -Dec 08

Jul –Sep 08

Apr -Jun 08

Jan -Mar 08

Oct -Dec 07

Jul –Sep 07

Apr -Jun 07

Jan -Mar 07

Oct -Dec 06Timeline

Program Metric Analysis

Annual Alumni Survey

5. MEASUREMENT

4.2.5.2 Volunteer Certification

4.2.5.1 Points & Incentives Program

4.1.5.1.5 Use of New Media in Communications

4.1.5.1.2 Standardize Alumni Communications

4.1.5..1 Alumni Communications Task Force

4.1.4.1.5 New Metrics Established

4.1.4.2 Strategic Coordination Committee

4.1.3 Lifecycle/Milestones

4.1.6.2 Alumni Engagement Portal


4.1.4.1.3 Alumni Engagement Officers

4.2.1 Imagine Graduation

4.1.2 Philosophy Acceptance

4. NEW PROGRAMMING

3. PROGRAM ADJUSTMENTS

2. IMPLEMENTATION COMMITTEES

1. COMMUNICATIONS

4.1.6.4 Implement New Data Systems

4.1.6.3 Data Review of Users Needs

4.1.6.2 Data Governance and Planning

4.1.6.1 Data Interim Solutions

4.1.4.1.4 Annual Fund Solicitation Schedule

4.1.4.1.1 Support UBC Buttons on Websites

4.1.4.4 Research Services for Alumni

4.1.4.1 Re-name VP Students Portfolio

4.2.3 Open Houses

4.2.2 Reunions

4.2.4 Career & Professional Development

4.1.1 Definition of Alumni

Alumni Engagement Centre

Metrics

Development

Volunteers

Data

Quarterly Updates

Initial Report Out to 20 Key Groups

Jan -Mar 09

Oct -Dec 08

Jul –Sep 08

Apr -Jun 08

Jan -Mar 08

Oct -Dec 07

Jul –Sep 07

Apr -Jun 07

Jan -Mar 07

Oct -Dec 06Timeline

Alumni For Life – Implementation Chart


51

4 Appendices 4.1 Methodology

Business Process Reengineering is ‘the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of business

processes to bring about dramatic improvements in performance.’ 20 The key to the BPR

methodology lies in three defining words: fundamental, radical and dramatic. Reengineering

deals with fundamental questions about why we do what we do and focuses not on what is,

but what should be. It is about reinventing rather than improving, enhancing, or modifying. This

BPR is about reinventing UBC’s approach to alumni. In order to achieve the End Results

presented to the team at the outset of this project by the Executive Steering Committee, a

philosophical mindshift is required on the part of the university.

Though the prospect of dramatic and radical change is often daunting, the BPR methodology is

designed not just to change but to dramatically improve processes by reorganizing and

restructuring how tasks are combined and completed. Redesign of processes naturally leads to

further improvement within the rest of the organization.

The fundamental reengineering principles used by the team throughout the project further

explain the intended outcome of the BPR methodology:

• Capture data only one time—when it is created.

• Organize work around results, not tasks.

• Allow decision points where work is performed.

• Incorporate controls into information processing.

• Allow people who use a process to do the work.

• Work in parallel instead of in sequence.

• Treat geographically-dispersed resources as one.

Other important objectives that guided the team during the redesign include the elimination of

duplication within processes, provision of value-added services to all clients, simplification of

processes for both staff and clients, and the elimination of bureaucratic impediments where

possible.

The cross-functional twelve-member BPR team met four (sometimes five) days a week between

May 4, 2006 and June 23, 2006. During this time, the team followed the adaptation of Michael

Hammer’s highly structured BPR methodology as facilitated by John Marrazzo of JM Associates.

The Executive Steering Committee, comprised of executive representatives from across campus, 20 Hammer and Stanton, 1995.


52

guided and supported the team throughout the project. Members of the ESC established the

vision and approved the objectives for the project. They evaluated and accepted or rejected

suggested policy changes during the project and will review final recommendations set forth in

this report, approve a schedule for implementation of the results of the project, and oversee the

actual implementation.

Map the Current Processes: Weeks 1 & 2

Eight days were devoted to understanding and mapping the current processes used to collect

information, provide services and engage UBC alumni. A fully developed understanding of each

process was obtained by defining the end result of the current process, creating a flowchart

that included each step of the process, noting any forms used or created, noting departments

involved in performing each step, and recording resources used. In addition to mapping the

current processes, the team evaluated the functional effectiveness of the processes in terms of

service, client feedback, resource costs for output, backlog, duplication, and delivery and

acceptability of output. This activity was essential for the success of the project because it

provided a complete view of the current state of UBC’s processes and allowed team members

to identify truly ‘broken’ pieces of the puzzle.

Brainstorm: Week 3

During the brainstorming week, the team worked collectively and in groups to develop an

extensive list of possible solutions to replace the ‘broken’ processes identified in the previous

week’s mapping.

External Research: Week 4

The team dispersed during week four to engage in various external research activities which

included site visits to other universities and businesses, interviews with members of the

educational, private, and public sectors, and the examination of various web-sites, periodicals,

and books. The time dedicated to external research enabled the team members to gather

information about the processes, technologies, and philosophies by other service providers.

Each member of the team was encouraged to collect novel and unique ideas that might serve

as catalysts for other ideas, as well as potential for actual implementation of the reengineered

design. For a complete list of external research conducted see External Research.

Design of New Process: Week 5

During week five of the BPR, the team reconvened to construct the new design. Using maps of

the current process, ideas developed during brainstorming, and information gathered in the

previous week of research, the team developed a comprehensive description and map of the

new processes.


53

Walk-through Interviews: Weeks 6 & 7

This step was vitally important to the success of the new design developed by the team during

the previous week. During these two weeks, team members conducted more than 160

interviews with alumni, staff and faculty members, and other relevant parties. Data collected

during each interview was used to validate the team’s understanding of the current processes

and to further inform the team about the needs, concerns and ideas of those who will affect

and be affected by the new design. For a list of interviewees see Interviews.

Verification: Week 8

During verification week, the team confirmed its understanding of the current processes,

documented suggested improvements, and verified that the proposed redesign effectively

meets the end results.

4.2 Meet the Team

The BPR team is a cross-functional group from throughout the UBC community, made up of 12

people drawn from Alumni Affairs, Advancement Services, Annual Giving, the Development

Office, Information Technology, Student Services and the student and alumni body. Ranging in

age from early 20s to mid 50s, three members are UBC students, others are staff or alumni

volunteers, and some are all three. Seven are UBC graduates, representing student experiences

from the 1970s, 80s, 90s and the current decade. In fact, two members of our team have just

graduated – one with a Bachelor of Arts, the other with a Master of Fine Arts. The remaining

members bring hands-on student, alumni and work experience from universities and other

organizations in other parts of Canada, the United States, Britain and Australia. Each member

filled a specific role in the team, representing different aspects of the alumni engagement

‘process’ being reengineered.

Gayle Stewart TEAM LEADER

UBC Alumni Affairs Board of Directors (UBC BA ’76, current MA student)

Barney Ellis-Perry PROCESS OWNER

Director, Professional Affairs for Alumni Affairs (UBC BA ’87)

Alex Burkholder Second-year UBC Student

Dianna DeBlaere Special Projects Manager for Alumni Affairs (UBC BA ’99)

Gavin Dew UBC Student, AMS VP Academic ‘05-06 (UBC BA Nov ’06)

Lindsay Follett Associate Director, UBC Annual Giving, Advancement Services (UBC BA ’00)

Dave Frazer Associate Director/Administration Partner, Information Technology (UBC BSC ’76)

Jeremy Gordon Project Manager, Student Systems (University of Wollongong B. Maths ’84)


54

Karen Maki Associate Director, Research, Advancement Services (University of Victoria BA ’88, LLB ’91)

John Marrazzo External Consultant/Facilitator, JM Associates

Joelle Renstrom Scribe (UBC MFA ’06)

Brenton Searle Fundraising Systems Analyst, Advancement Services (Queensland University of Technology B.IT (IM) ’01, B. Hlth Sci (HIM) ‘02

4.3 External research

Educational institutions (Best practices)

• Boston University

• Carleton University

• Duke University

• Harvard

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Pennsylvania State University

• Stanford University

• Texas A&M

• Queen’s University

• St. Francis Xavier University

• University of California at Berkeley

• University of Michigan

• University of Pennsylvania

• University of Washington

• Upper Canada College

• Washington State University (Master Gardener Program)

• York University

Annual giving:

• Pennsylvania State University

• Indiana University

• Virginia Polytechnic Institute

• Colorado College

• University of Kentucky

Engaging/supporting parents:

• Northeastern University

• McGill University

• Stanford University


55

Corporate (Best practices)

• Amazon

• Apple Computers

• City Soup

• e-BC e-Government Plan, 2004-2007

• Ernst and Young

• Interfolio

• KPMG

• WestJet (Branding)

Books

Chait, Richard P., William P. Ryan, and Barbara E. Taylor. Governance as Leadership: Reframing

the Work of Non-profit Boards. Hoboken, New Jersey. : John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2005.

Foot, David K. , and Daniel Stoffman. Boom, Bust and Echo: How to Profit from the Coming

Demographic Shift. Macfarlane, Walter and Ross, 1996.

Howe, Neil, and William Strauss. Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation. New York:

Vintage Books, 2000.

McConnell, Ben, and Jackie Huba. Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers

Become a Volunteer Sales Force. Dearborn Trade Publishing, 2003.


56

Other research areas

• Affinity programs

• Branding trends in educational institutions

• CASE ASAP Program21

• Commencement ceremonies

• Experience.com (eProNet)

• Millennial students

• MyCV

• The importance of brand to college-bound teens

• UBC faculty alumni websites

• Viral campaigns in effective marketing

4.3.1 In-person interviews

Mark Dance Entrepreneur and former CFO, Creo Inc.

Mark Dumont CRM Systems

Dick Hardt Founder and CEO, Sxip Identity (Identity Management)

Karen Kanigan Member Services Manager, UBC Alumni Affairs

Scott Macrae Director of Public Affairs, UBC

Randy Schmidt Assistant Director of Public Affairs, UBC

Richard Spencer Senior IT Strategist, UBC

Shane Tryon Associate Director, Learning Exchange, UBC

Rob Wilson Manager – Web Communications, UBC Public Affairs, New Hire BPR

team member

Henry Lee President, Tom Lee Music

Bill Levine President, Western Corporate Enterprises, Inc.

Interviews with brand leaders

Sloan Dinning Director of Brand & Marketing Communications, Vancity

Kyle Winters Director of Marketing Programs, University of Toronto

Darren Zwack Brand Director, Telus

Imagine UBC and first year orientation programs

Steve Ng First Year Coordinator

Jessica Klug 4th year UBC student

Alexandra Luchenko 4th year UBC student

Reka Pataky 4th year UBC student

21 CASE = Council for the Advancement and Support of Education ASAP = Association of Student Advancement Programs


57

Faculty/Staff focus group

George Bluman Professor Mathematics (BSc 1964)

Kenneth Craig Professor Emeritus Coordinator, Psychology Dept (MA 1960)

Caron Currie Records Manager, President’s Office (BA 1990)

Diane Kent Executive Coordinator Enrolment Services and Student Development &

Services (Bsc 1973; MBA 1979)

Liz King Events Coordinator, Ceremonies & Events (BA 2002)

Ingrid Hoff Botanical Gardens Horticulture Manager (BScA 1997)

Hailey Pappin Botanical Gardens Administrative Manager (BA 1993)

Alumni interviews

Five targeted anonymous phone interviews with disengaged alumni.22

4.4 Internal walk-through interviews

Alumni Affairs

Michelle Aucoin Director, Alumni Relations

Vanessa Clarke Communications Officer, Alumni Affairs

Marguerite Collins Events Coordinator, Alumni Relations

Christina Gray Senior Events Manager, Alumni Relations

Karen Kanigan Member Services Manager, Alumni Affairs

Fred Lee Manager, Alumni & Stewardship, Leadership Group & President’s

Circle, Alumni Affairs

Chris Petty Director of Communications, Alumni Affairs

Valerie Tse Manager, Alumni Relations, Asia Pacific Regional Office

Alumni Association Board of Directors

Martin Ertl Chair

Doug Robinson Vice Chair

Ian Robertson Treasurer, Executive Committee member

David Elliot Past Treasurer, Executive Committee member

Executive Steering Committee

Mary-Anne Bobinski Dean, Faculty of Law

Lisa Castle AVP, Human Resources

Ian Cull AVP, UBC-O Student Services

Ted Dodds Chief Information Officer, AVP, Information Technology

22 A larger sample was planned, but all responses were concordant with survey and anecdotal conclusions about alumni disengagement. Further informal interviews were also conducted with numerous other alumni.


58

Marie Earl AVP, Alumni Affairs

Martin Ertl Chair, Alumni Association

Nancy Gallini Dean, Arts

Maggie Hartley Acting Director, Arts Academic Advising

John Hepburn VP, Research

Jane Hutton AVP, Continuing Studies

Terry Kellam Director, Office of VP Research

Audrey Lindsay Associate Registrar/Director, Student Systems

Alan Marchant Executive Director, Advancement Services, Development

Bob Philip Director, Athletics

Doug Robinson Director, Alumni Association

Robbin Simao Manager of Integrated Marketing Communications, Public Affairs

Robert Sindelar Dean, Pharmacy

Brian Sullivan VP, Students

Clark Warren AVP, Development

David Yuen VP Administration, AMS

Faculty Fundraisers

Victoria Auston Director of Development, Arts

Natalie Cook-Zywicki Director of Development, Medicine

May Cordeiro Alumni Relations Officer, Applied Science

Bobbie Duvall Director of Development, Land & Food Systems

Katrina Evans Senior Development Officer, Forestry

Stephanie Forgacs Director of Development, Education

Hilary Gosselin Director of Development, Applied Science

Paul Harrison Associate Dean, Botany

Ana-Maria Hobrough Director of Development, Law

Jane Merling Development Coordinator, Dentistry

Lynn Newman-Saunders Director, Undergraduate Programs, Land & Food Systems

Cathleen Nichols Community Partnership Manager, Land & Food Systems

Jennifer Parsons Alumni Relations, Dentistry

John Pennant Director of Development, Graduate Studies

Mandy Trickett Director of Development, Pharmacy

Steve Tuckwood Associate Director of Development, Athletics

Amy Vozel Student Development Officer, Applied Science

Miranda Wan Alumni Relations, Medicine

Amanda Warren Development Officer, Sauder School of Business

Andrea Wink Director of Development, Dentistry

Andre Zandstra Director of Development, Science

Development and Advancement Services

Grant Beattie Training/Document Specialist, Development


59

Jennifer Cox Human Resources Coordinator, Development

Terry Flannigan Executive Director, UBC-O , Development

Bob Heavenor Manager, Information Systems, Advancement Services

Lisa Jay Donations Processing, Advancement Services

Elizabeth Ko Director, Gift & Estate Planning, Development

Christin Kyle Associate Director, Campus-Based Fundraising

Tara MacKenzie Director, Campus-Based Fundraising

Eileen McIntosh Director, Strategic Planning and Stewardship

Claire Morris Fundraising Communications Officer, Strategic Planning and

Stewardship

Helen Nichols Director, Campus-Based Fundraising

Leanne Poon Manager, Donor Relations, Strategic Planning and Stewardship

Sharon Rowse Director, Human Resources, Development

Stephen Shapiro Director, Leadership, Development

Cheryl Stevens Associate Director, Gift and Estate Planning, Development

Dan Worsley Associate Director, Gift and Estate Planning, Development

Group interview:

Margaret McClelland Annual Giving

Tracey Nelson Annual Giving

John Foster Annual Giving

Jennifer Galli Annual Giving

Michelle Anami Annual Giving

Michael Ursell Annual Giving

Lindsay Bedard Annual Giving

Michelle Orr Annual Giving

Angie Smashnuk Annual Giving

Student Services

Linda Alexander Director, Career Services

Andrew Arida Associate Director, Student Recruitment

Allison Dunnet Student Development Officer Student Development

Katherine Hume Consultant, Employer Services, Career Services

Deborah Robinson Associate Registrar, Director, Student Recruitment

Marianne Schroeder Assistant Registrar, Student Relations

Don Wehrung Executive Director, International Student Initiative

Winnie Cheung Senior Advisor, VP Students Office

Linda Conrad Coordinator, Student Financial Aid

Academic Units: Deans & Directors

Frieda Granot Dean, Graduate Studies

Grant Ingram Interim Dean, Science,


60

Michael Isaacson Dean, Applied Science

Dan Muzyka Dean, Sauder School of Business

Jack Saddler Dean, Forestry

Gavin Stuart Dean, Medicine

Sally Thorne Director, Nursing

Edwin Yen Dean, Dentistry

Vice Presidents (VP) and Associations Vice Presidents (AVP)

Geoff Atkins AVP, Land and Building Services

Byron Braley AVP, Treasury

Anna Kindler AVP, Curriculum Studies

Craig Klafter AVP, International

Dennis Pavlich VP, External & Legal Affairs

David Rankin AVP, Business Operations

Terry Sumner VP, Finance

Allan Tupper AVP, Government Relations

Lorne Whitehead VP, Academic

Faculty Alumni Relations Staff

Fiona Fung Alumni Relations Coordinator, Sauder School of Business

Miro Kinch Director, Alumni Affairs, Medicine

Christine Lee Alumni Relations Coordinator Arts

Alumni Focus Group

George Bluman Professor, Mathematics

Ken Craig Professor Emeritus, Psychology Coordinator

Caron Currie Records Manager, President's Office

Ingrid Hoff Horticultural Manager, Botanical Garden

Diane Kent Executive Coordinator, Student Development

Liz King Events Coordinator, Ceremonies

Hailey Pappin Administrative Manager, Botanical Garden

Student Government

Lauren Hunter-Eberle VP Academic, Graduate Student Society

Jeff Friedrich VP Academic, Alma Mater Society

UBC-O

Bernard Bauer Dean, Arts and Sciences

Robert Belton Dean, Creative & Critical Studies

Joan Bottorff Dean, Health and Social Development


61 Report editing by Gavin Dew Design and production by Elisa Cachero

Robert Campbell Interim Dean, Education

Russell Currie Associate Dean, Management

Linda Hatt Associate Dean, Curriculum and Student Affairs

Rob Johnson Director , Athletics

Marvin Krank Dean, College of Graduate Studies

Michelle Lowton Academic Advisor, Student Development & Services

Doug Owram Deputy Vice Chancellor

Shawn Swallow Manager, Career Development & Alumni Services

Others

Margo Fryer Director, UBC Learning Exchange

Don Black Director of Community Programs, Continuing Studies

Eilis Courtney Director, Ceremonies

Mark Dance UBC graduate, Former COO of CREO

Mary Demarinis Coordinator, Disabilities Resources Centre

Cathy Ebbehoj Lecturer, Nursing

Bob Frid Facilities Manager, Human Kinetics

Jens Haeusser Manager, Information Technology

Debbie Harvie Director, Bookstore

Mary Holmes Director of Strategic Communications, Continuing Studies

Henry Kong Alumnus and F/S member

Karen McKellin Associate Director, International Student Initiative

Stephen Ng Coordinator, Orientations

Al Poettcker President & CEO, UBC Properties Trust

Gary Poole Director, Centre for Teaching and Academic Growth

Richard Spencer Senior IT Strategist, Information Technology

Shayne Tryon Associate Director, UBC Learning Exchange

Kavie Toor Business Development Officer, UBC Rec

Keith Miller Manager, Intramurals

Debra Waddington Office Manager, Athletics

Julie Walchli Director, Arts Co-Op

Michelle Winegar Education Coordinator, Communications & Alumni

Cherie Wong Asia Pacific Regional Office

ALUMNI AFFINITY BUSINESS PROCESS REENGINEERING REPORT · This Business Process Reengineering (BPR) project was undertaken during summer 2006 by a cross-functional team of 12 people

Documents