Alumni Council President's Column

Weighing the matters on the minds of Kenyon alumni and determining how alumni can best support the mission of the College is the goal of members of the Alumni Council, which met this fall on campus during Homecoming Weekend, September 27-28. Convening in three committees, the fourteen elected and appointed members of the Council focused on several initiatives for Kenyon.

The admissions committee discussed working with the admissions staff to identify opportunities for alumni to refer high-school students to the admissions office and determining ways in which regional associations can encourage outreach to students and high school administrators to increase Kenyon's application pool (chair: Barry Gisser '88).

The communications committee considered ways to develop and market electronic services to alumni and reviewed priorities for improving the College's communication strategy (chair: Martin McKerrow '64).

How to improve student and young alumni involvement in alumni and volunteer programs was the charge of the student and young alumni relations committee (chair: Rich Alper '71). The committee plans to develop a senior class alumni mentoring program, as well as continue to work for stronger young alumni participation in the Kenyon Fund.

At the meeting last May, the Alumni Council ratified the constitution of the Alumni Association and the Alumni Council bylaws to make the two documents consistent with each other.

Jack Buckley '66, president of the Alumni Council last year, stated, "I believe that these changes are indeed editorial in nature, and do not obviate the authority or the responsibility of the entire Alumni Association as a whole." The constitution of the Alumni Association and the bylaws may be amended several ways, including a majority vote of the Alumni Council. Anyone who wishes to review the changes is encouraged to contact Director of Alumni and Parent Programs Lisa Schott '80 at 740-427-5148 or schottl@kenyon.edu.

Other matters before the Council included the presidential search, the new Center for Fitness, Recreation, and Athletics, and the approval of the dance- and drama-affiliated alumni association. The Council will work with the Kenyon Fund Executive Committee to support its efforts to continue to build a stronger Kenyon Fund. Members of the Council will meet again February 7-8 and again during Reunion Weekend on May 23. For a complete listing of the Council membership, please refer to the back inside page of this issue of the Bulletin.

-Mary Kay Karzas '75

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