Modern universities can no longer survive without alumni.
Carnegie Mellon's visitors have come from Canada, South Africa, Europe, and Japan. Volunteer alumni are therefore critical to success for colleges and universities, including Carnegie Mellon. President Robert Mehrabian strengthened this theme that began at the end of Richard Cyert's presidency. When alumni are seen as important, universities can shift some decision-making power to alumni for choosing and running alumni programs. Alumni volunteer work benefits alumni, as well as current students and faculty.