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Class Officer Job Descriptions

Wanted: Talent, Leadership, Dedication

Each graduating class needs a strong team of executives at the helm. Here's a look at the roles and responsibilities of the officers who manage and support the class.

President

The president is the chief executive officer of the class and takes the lead in determining class objectives. The president also works with all class officers to ensure that the class' interest is being observed in matters of finance, publicity, news of classmates, informal reunions, and fundraising programs. The president maintains contact with MIT on behalf of the class.

The president, after consultation with the Alumni Association, is responsible for the appointment of a class agent, a reunion chair, a reunion gift chair, and possibly webmasters. The careful selection of class officers is vital to an energetic, active class. The president may be asked to fill officer vacancies arising between class officer elections.

For all classes except MIT10, the class president selects the reunion and reunion gift chairs 12 to 24 months in advance of a reunion. These chairs, with advice from the president and the Alumni Association staff, recruit their own committees. In most classes, the president sits on both the reunion gift and the reunion planning committees. Coordinating the work of these two committees is a major responsibility of the class president. The president also assists the class agent with class fundraising activities and is involved in stewardship activities for recipients of class gift funds.

In many classes, recognizing the efforts of officers who do a good job is an important role for the president.

MIT10 classes:

During reunion and non-reunion years, class fundraising efforts will be led by a class gift chair and committee. After consultation with the class president, the Annual Fund will appoint the class gift chair each year. The class gift chair, with advice from the president and the Annual Fund staff, will recruit members for the class gift committee. In some classes, the president sits ex officio on the class gift committee. The president assists the class gift chair with class fundraising activities and is involved in stewardship activities for recipients of class gift funds. No class agent is appointed for MIT10 classes as the class gift committee carries out the duties associated with the role.

Vice president

The vice president works with the class president and other officers in planning, organizing, and implementing class programs. In the absence of the president, the vice president exercises the powers and duties of the president.

Some classes have regional vice presidents who assist with activities and communication in different areas of the U.S. Others assign particular class projects to vice presidents, such as newsletters, community service projects, or mini reunions.

Secretary

Secretaries keep excellent records of the whereabouts and activities of classmates and actively solicit and communicate news about class members.

A primary means of communication for secretaries is the class notes column in Technology Review. Technology Review mails out a packet for each issue that includes information on individual classmates gathered from many sources. Once the column is written, the secretary is responsible for delivering it to Technology Review via email or fax. A copy of Technology Review's guidelines is updated and sent periodically to class secretaries.

In additional to preparing the class notes, secretaries may conduct a variety of communications initiatives: sending out letters or postcards with return sections; sending holiday or birthday cards; calling or visiting classmates; gathering news at weddings and professional conferences; listing names in each column of classmates from whom they want to hear; and enlisting the help of other class members in gathering material.

Secretaries receive supporting materials prepared by the Alumni Association Class Programs staff. Examples include an updated class list; lists of missing and deceased classmates; and an update on students supported by scholarships the class has funded. Many secretaries also serve as the editors of an Association-provided email list for their class. The email list can be a particularly effective means to gather news for the class notes column and to generate interest in reunions and other class activities.

See the class secretary toolkit for more information.

Treasurer

The treasurer serves a critical role for the alumni class. While the president is responsible for overall leadership and for coordinating with all officers, the treasurer is the most called-upon officer involved in strategic planning and finances for every program the class undertakes. The other class officers, classmates, and the Alumni Association rely on the treasurer's attention to detail, patience, and diplomacy.

The term of a class treasurer begins on July 1, following the election during reunions, and ends five and a half years later, in the December following the next class reunion. The first six months of the treasurer's term is a training period during which the new treasurer works with the outgoing treasurer to finalize the payment of all reunion expenses and learn the specifics of the role.

The treasurer is responsible for the financial resources and liabilities of the class. The treasurer budgets and disburses class funds to pay necessary and authorized charges and maintains all financial records of the class. One of the treasurer's most important functions is to serve as reunion treasurer, working in close collaboration with the reunion chair and reunion staff. The class account that the treasurer maintains will be used to pay for class expenses associated with class reunions, e.g., publicity, newsletters, informal reunions, catering, etc. In most classes, the treasurer gives a financial report setting forth the amount, management, and disposition of the class funds at each meeting of the class.

See the class treasurer toolkit for more information.

Class / Stewardship Agent

For all classes except MIT10, the class agent is the officer responsible for annual class giving, serving as the link between the class and the Alumni Fund. Objectives of the class agent program:

  • Acknowledge all gifts from classmates to MIT
  • Coordinate with other class officers to promote and report on class project(s)
  • Assist in developing a positive relationship between alumni and the Institute
  • Increase the number of first-time donors to the Fund
  • Implement Fund projects and initiate solicitation efforts

Agents typically serve a five-year term (from reunion to reunion) and are usually appointed by the president or an executive committee. The time commitment involved is typically a few hours per month.
The class agent has several duties and responsibilities. In the year of a reunion, agents' responsibilities may vary from class to class.

  • Personalize gift acknowledgements
    Gift acknowledgement reports are available for the agent on the Infinite Connection monthly. Agents may send emails to donors with a personal message of thanks, use online postcards at the Alumni Association web site, or draft a handwritten message using note cards and envelopes provided by the Association. The more individualized the message, the better ("We greatly appreciate your increase," or "Did you know that so & so from our class just moved to your town?"). The Alumni Association is happy to reimburse postage expenses, for submitted receipts.
  • Monitor class progress and report results to class officers
    The agent, class president, and class secretary receive quarterly reports on the progress of the class and the Alumni Fund. The class agent should provide the class secretary and others with information about the class progress and project by email, letter, or appropriate Web sites.

See the class agent toolkit for more information.

Class Webmaster

The class webmaster creates and maintains a class Web page, linked to the Alumni Association Web site. MIT provides server space and limited technical assistance. A webmaster should have knowledge of or strong interest in learning HTML or Web site development software and an interest in creating strong communication vehicles for his or her class. Alumni Site Builder, an online tool that allows class webmasters to create templated Web pages, is available for volunteers who do not know HTML.

See the class webmaster toolkit for more information.

Members-at-large

Members-at-large have general direction over class affairs. They consult with and advise the president and class officers with regard to actions they propose to take. Members-at-large help plan, organize, and implement class programs and, with the other officers, approve successors to office vacancies appointed by the president. Members-at-large often assume needed positions in the class associated with a particular project, i.e., class directory editor.

William Barton Rogers Society Agent

Primary Responsibilities

With the guidance of the Annual Fund staff, the William Barton Rogers Class Agent will lead the leadership giving society for his/her class.  Specific responsibilities include:

  • Make a personal annual leadership gift.
  • Participate in Alumni Fund leadership solicitations (in person, by phone or in writing).
  • Participate in the annual Alumni Leadership Conference (ALC), when possible.

Term of Office

Approximately 5 years; terms end or are renewed at end of each reunion year

Qualifications

  • An interest in, comfort with, and ability to engage and solicit an array of alumni, especially those who will be asked to make leadership gifts.
  • Demonstrated generosity to MIT
  • Demonstrated volunteer record in the area of fund raising at MIT.
  • Enthusiasm for MIT and its mission
  • Familiarity with and ability to articulate about the Institute including its mission, culture, and fundraising objectives.

Reunion Gift Chair

The goals, in order of priority, of MIT's reunion gift campaigns are:

  • Conduct outreach to leadership donors and encourage upgraded levels of support.
  • Build overall class giving participation.
  • Educate class members about the case for giving to MIT, and of appropriate giving vehicles and opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities

The Reunion Gift Chair serves as the voice of the campaign, and as the leader of the gift committee.  Specific responsibilities include:

  • Recruit classmates to the committee 12-15 months before the reunion.
  • (15-20 members for one-year reunions; 20-25 members for major reunions-25th, 40th, 50th)
  • Establish gift and participation goals in conjunction with your staff liaison and present these to the committee at the outset of the campaign.
  • Make a personal gift or commitment to the reunion gift campaign.
  • Serving as signatory of direct mail appeals and e-mails to the class, personally thank key donors to the campaign, and announce the campaign results at the Tech Day luncheon in June.
  • Solicit leadership donors and prospects. (You may be asked to solicit classmates whom you do not know personally.)
  • Ensure that each committee member of the committee is solicited¾whether by you, another volunteer, or a staff member¾with the expectation of 100% committee participation.
  • Convene and manage committee meetings, whether conducted in-person or via teleconference.
  • Develop a strategy, in conjunction with the staff, to incorporate the class project into the campaign.
  • Ensure that each member of the committee is engaged in the campaign and is fulfilling his/her responsibilities.
  • Attend and participate in committee training session(s) to help successfully launch the campaign.

Term of Office

Approximately 15 months, through the end of MIT Fiscal Year 2010 (June 30, 2010)

Qualifications

  • An interest in, comfort with, and ability to engage and solicit an array of classmates, including those who will be asked to make leadership gifts
  • Willingness to make the reunion gift campaign a priority and to allocate time to successfully lead your class campaign (typically 5 hours a month)
  • Demonstrated generosity to MIT
  • Enthusiasm for MIT and its mission

Reunion Gift Committee Member

The goals, in order of priority, of  MIT's reunion gift campaigns are:

  • Conduct outreach to leadership donors and encourage upgraded levels of support.
  • Build overall class giving participation.
  • Educate class members about the case for giving to MIT, and of appropriate giving vehicles and opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities

Under the leadership of the Reunion Gift Chair and guidance of the Class Giving staff, the committee will conduct personal outreach to classmates.  Specific responsibilities include:

  • Participate in screening approximately 12 months prior to the reunion to garner giving potential of classmates and identify top prospects.
  • Make a personal gift or commitment to the reunion gift campaign.
  • Solicit key donors and prospects, primarily via phone.* (You may be asked to solicit classmates whom you do not know personally).
  • Provide periodic reports to staff and Chair on solicitation progress, to ensure appropriate outreach and follow-up are completed.
  • Personally thank classmates whom you have solicited, upon receipt of their gift.
  • Attend and participate in committee meetings and training sessions(s), whether in-person or via teleconference.

Term of Office

Approximately 1 year

Qualifications

  • An interest in, comfort with, and ability to engage and solicit an array of classmates, including those who will be asked to make leadership level gifts
  • Willingness to allocate time to successfully help your class campaign in achieving its reunion gift campaign goals (typically 2 hours a month)
  • Demonstrated generosity to MIT
  • Enthusiasm for MIT and its mission

*The number of individual prospect assignments will vary depending on the size of the committee and the goals of the campaign. Typically, each committee member will be responsible for soliciting 15-20 classmates.

Reunion Chair

The reunion chair has multiple responsibilities:

  • Appoint sub-committee chairs and capable classmates to serve on the reunion committee.
  • Organize and manage reunion committee meetings or conference calls. Frequency of meetings varies, but experience has shown that chairs need to hold at least four, full-committee meetings or conference calls during the year of the reunion.
  • Oversee sub-committees and monitor their activities to ensure that tasks are completed on time. Advise the reunion staff of decisions and the progress of sub-committees.
  • Develop a reunion budget with the class treasurer and sub-committee chairs.
  • Coordinate with reunion staff to plan and send class reunion mailings.
  • Authorize expenditures related to reunion and give bills to class treasurer for payment.
  • Keep in touch with other class leaders (reunion gift chair, class president, webmaster, secretary) to coordinate activities and communications throughout the year of the reunion.