Sifting through the tours, talks, activities, and awards of the
weekend, one comes away with a couple key elements that are relevant to Classmates who were not there to be energized by the
ambiance, or stuffed with way-too-many rumakis at the reception.
THE
TOP THREE NOMINEES ARE...
1. Online Dues Payment
2. Reduced Alumni Magazine Assessment
3. Conflicted Class Notes, Newsletter & Web Functions
Online Dues Payment: A
few Classes have done this on their own; now,The College has its "solution." Recent Classes claim that there's been an
increase in dues-paying classmates from online payments. For ancient and honorable Classes (->50 years
out), it's most likely a waste of energy and money. For the in-between Classes, (that's us) it requires a decision that costs
$375 per year plus 2% of all collections... AND does not obviate a manual system if classmates insist on paying by check.
More to follow.
Reduced Alumni Magazine Assessment:
Certainly DAM has been the elephant at the cocktail party w/r/t Class Dues. It has turning the Classes into "goon"
squads icing non-paying Classmates. The economics were such that the Classes could not carry the burden WHICH
EQUALLED OVER 67% OF THE DUES. While there are arguments from all sides, there is no arguing that DAM was divisive and
needed dollar-sharing make-over. One could also argue whether DAM was an instrument of The College for editorial
content or a publication of the Classes for Class Notes. More to follow.
Conflicted Class Notes, Newsletter & Web Functions:
Mercifully, the Great Class of '65 has shown its greatness in this area, because it is apparent from even two years ago that
some Classes are having severe TURF BATTLES over who owns the news, and who should be responsible for its dissemination.
DAM holds that Class Notes should be reviewed for accuracy... Newsletters are also "sniffed as well. Ah, but then there
is WWW---the Wild-West-Web, broadcast emails via listservs and 1-2-Many, regular e-mail servers, plus now blogs
and RSS feeds. Eleazer, ol' sport, it's a whole different world! Regardless of our Class harmony, there are
legitimate issues to be addressed. More to follow.
ENVELOPE, PLEASE...
Considering that the latter point has not been, nor is anticipated to be a problem, plus
considering that online payments, though convenient, are have not been, nor are critical to the overall goal of
reaching-out to classmates, one deduces that the AWARD WINNING NEWS is that The College has taken an important step
toward class cohesion which vectors positively with our Class direction.