Alumni Association, which will include all fall 2016 freshmen and add each freshman class in the next three years until all undergraduate students are SAA members. Ms. Gilmore is a 2012 KU graduate and a native of Liberal, Kansas. REVENUE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE REPORT: Mr. Lagerstrom said the committee focused on the goal of the Association’s draft strategic initiatives through fiscal year 2018: Enhance and build resources, creating future capacity to support Alumni Association programs and service that benefit the University and a growing KU community of students, alumni and friends. Mr. Lagerstrom highlighted three key objectives that emerged from the discussion: • retention of Presidents Club members and success in encouraging larger annual gifts from members, toward the ultimate goal of major gifts; • increased membership in all categories; • creation of a business development plan that includes increased advertising sales and establishing corporate sponsorships; the Association will be part of University discussions of sponsorships to ensure that our efforts do not conflict with KU’s plan. ALUMNI PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL EVENTS COMMITTEE REPORT: Mr. Brinkman said the meetings earlier in the day followed a conference call discussion two weeks earlier. Staff members are preparing plans for volunteers’ weekend in fall 2016 as well as a new model for future alumni reunions. The committee also discussed many aspects of the Rock Chalk Ball April 23, which for the first time featured mobile bidding during the silent auction. As a result, revenue from the silent auction reached $49,000, an increase of 42 percent. Mr. Brinkman highlighted the work of Ms. Winetroub, who also credited Ms. Krehbiel for her extensive research of mobile bidding vendors and her leadership of this new aspect of the ball. Board members applauded Ms. Krehbiel’s efforts. Another important improvement was the support of University colleagues in hosting tables; 140 of the more than 700 participants were KU colleagues and their guests. The staff recently completed a survey of ball participants, including table hosts and auction bidders, and discussions will continue regarding potential fine-tuning of sponsorship levels and the live auction, particularly the Fund-a-Need portion. Mr. Brinkman encouraged Board members to share their ideas for not only the Rock Chalk Ball but also the Jayhawk Roundup, which will be October 15 at the Murfin Stables in Wichita. The next Rock Chalk Ball will be April 29, 2017, at the Overland Park Convention Center. COMMUNICATIONS, MARKETING AND RECORDS COMMITTEE REPORT:
Mrs. Miller briefly reviewed the group’s discussion and thanked staff members for providing extensive information. She also noted that Abby Stuke, a Lenexa junior and a member of the Student Alumni Leadership Board, attended the meeting and added valuable comments from a student’s perspective, including the fact that her mother had been a member of the Student Alumni Association as a student in the early 1990s. Key discussion elements included: • The Association sent an action alert May 3 to all Jayhawks for Higher Education members, asking them to urge Governor Brownback to veto a provision in the budget recently passed by the Kansas Legislature. The provision requires that future cuts in higher education funding be based on a percentage of the “all funds budgets” for all Regents universities. The requirement unfairly penalizes KU and Kansas State University, because their total budgets include significant federal research funding, thereby resulting in larger cuts for both universities—despite the fact that research dollars can be spent only for specific projects and cannot be redirected to replace state funding. In a rare joint message to JHE members and Wildcats for Higher Education, Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little and General Richard Myers, interim KSU president, urged alumni of both universities to contact the governor directly. • A campaign to recruit members and update biographical records is nearly complete, and more than 3,000 alumni responded to the direct mail and promotions. The Association has gained 769 members, and 300 alumni had signed up to be mentors. • Mr. Johnston shared a summary of the recent digital media staff retreat. • The committee discussed objectives to two of the Association’s strategic goals: Implement new technology, programs and communications to engage, inform, mobilize and unite Jayhawks around the world and advance KU. Enhance and develop new initiatives to support institutional priorities (recruitment, retention, graduation, diversity/inclusion, membership, philanthropy, legislative affairs, and more accurate records. Objectives include increasing digital content, especially through the alumni app, which will be introduced to recent grads at Commencement, and the student app, which will make its debut in August as part of expanded programs for the Student Alumni Association. Jayhawks for Higher Education will increase its grass-roots efforts and outreach, especially during this election year. FUNDRAISING REPORT: Mrs. Storey distributed copies of a report compiled by Mr. McConnell (see attached) and reported that she is developing a national travel and prospect cultivation strategy with Mr.