With research contracts, cost recovery and student financial aid, totaling billions of dollars, many universities call for strong foreign lobby companies to prevent cuts in federal funding and provide the public with the public good of higher education. Participating in external government relations experts can bring important perspectives and exploits during this critical period, but this approach may not be scalable or sustainable in nearly 550 research universities in communities of large and small across the country.
Fortunately, the campus has its own strong assets to advocate: alumni. Graduates learn first-hand about the benefits of higher education to their lives, professions and communities, and they can also give valuable feedback as campuses work to meet the challenges of this moment and get better. A national survey of university graduates estimates that 72 million individuals have at least a bachelor’s degree. Be well engaged, and alumni can be strength multiplier.
Alumni often pay attention to their role as donors. They will receive more than 90 emails from their alma mater this year, with many asking them to reflect on the value of their college experience and pay for it. The most generous donors will be celebrated at the event or visited by campus leaders in person. Millions of dollars, sometimes billions, will be raised to advance campus missions.
Like alumni donors, the effectiveness of its philanthropic support is related to the greater investment in state and federal role in higher education. Leaders in the university fundraising field are obliged to provide alumni with candid information on the potential impact of looming generational policy and funding transitions, as well as opportunities for campus support as advocates.
In a crisis, information and attention must first flow to the campus component. Crisis communication and management programs may initially ignore alumni or underestimate the compelling role they can play with external and internal stakeholders. Although most alumni are not exist Campus, they are of The campus is in a profound and meaningful way. And, unlike a few super healthy alumni who have damaged the Ivy League campus, a large group of alumni can bring practical wisdom and rational voices to challenging issues.
Campus leaders who are now prepared for prolonged disruption should evaluate alumni participation as part of the program and collect their teams to consider:
- How do alumni and development staff communicate with strategic, government relations staff and academic leaders to shape the university’s messaging and advocacy?
- What facts do alumni need to know about policy and funding challenges in a media environment full of misinformation?
- How does the alumni’s perspective inform campus discourse about the challenges of institutional values and academic freedom?
- How do existing alumni programs provide information sharing opportunities among campus leaders, academic leaders and alumni?
- How do campuses recognize and support alumni who are directly affected by changes in the federal workforce and economic disruption?
This is a critical moment for campus leaders to build bridges. Alumni can be a huge asset to this work. As a degree holder, donor, professional and citizen, dedicated alumni have extensive knowledge of the specific values of alma mater and higher education. They have shares, authenticity and social capital, and should have the opportunity to increase voice.
