Alumni turn to Alma Mater

Colleges and universities have come to realize that their relationship with their alumni is a two-way street. If they want support from their graduates, they must give them something back in return."Schools are taking seriously the question of what's in it for the alumni," says Steve Calvert, director of alumni relations at the University of Denver. They now understand, he says, that it is not the faculty and staff but the alumni who are "the permanent constituency" of the university.The change in attitude comes at a time when the proportion of alumni who contribute to their alma mater is in decline--from 13.1 percent in 2002 to 12.4 percent last year. To build relations with graduates, colleges are launching initiatives to address a range of issues alumni face as they move through different life stages, including motherhood and retirement. "We are trying to figure out what is it that will make alumni support their institution," says Andrew Shaindlin, executive director of the Caltech Alumni Association in Pasadena, Calif.
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