Key Relationships between WAA, The Office of the Chancellor and The University

Founded in 1861, the Wisconsin Alumni Association’s mission is to promote the welfare of the University of Wisconsin and serve the interests of its alumni. Today, WAA carries out this mission through marketing, communications, services and programs that link its 376,000 alumni back to the university, the university to alumni, and alumni with each other. WAA is a 501(c)(3) organization and maintains a subsidiary, the Wisconsin Alumni Services Corporation, through which, it manages any unrelated business income tax derived from programs and services.

Following are the concise descriptions of the key agreements, partnerships, collaborations and programs that intersect with the Chancellor, the Office of the Chancellor, and affect the university at large:

• WAA is charged by the University Committee to appoint four alumni representatives to the UW Athletic Board, each serving for a four-year term. Terms of service are staggered so that all four representatives are not selected at the same time. Representatives are selected by the Nominating Committee of the WAA Board. The process of securing candidates for the appointment includes consultation with the Athletic Board Chair, the Athletic Directors, and the Chancellor and her designee.
• WAA appoints a representative to the Memorial Union Board of Directors.
• The chair of the WAA Board of Directors and the president/chief executive officer of WAA serve as ex-officio members of the University of Wisconsin Foundation Board. Concurrently, the Foundation Board’s chair and the president of the Foundation serve as ex-officio members of the WAA Board.
• The Chancellor or her designee serves as an ex-officio member of the WAA Board.

• The UW/WAA Academic Support Services Agreement is an annual service agreement composed of two parts with two sources of funding. One part is funded by the university from non-GPR/non-restricted resources, and the other part’s funding comes from money transferred to the university by the UW foundation via the annual University Relations Grant process. The combined funding is then transferred to WAA via the official Academic Services Agreement and is signed by the vice chancellor for Administration and WAA’s president/CEO. This support allows the Wisconsin Alumni Association to leverage its resources to meet strategic needs of the institution. Since 1993, the university’s contract with WAA has expanded and currently focuses on development of international alumni networks, statewide advocacy networks, career services, other services for alumni, diversity through the UW for You statewide outreach program, enhanced programming in areas across the country with the highest numbers of graduates and current students, and alumni data management services for the UW-Madison campus.
• The Affinity Credit Card program is held by WAA with exclusive rights to the institution’s mark for purposes of the affinity credit card currently issued by Bank of America. It is the official and only credit card sponsored by the campus. WAA signs the contract and manages the program, while working with Athletics to market the card. In partnership with Athletics, this marketing is tightly monitored and controlled, especially with respect to UW-Madison students.
• Alumni Data Management and Services was created in 2004, when WAA and the UW Foundation assumed the management of all alumni demographic information. WAA and UWF share a core set of data between their two systems. Campus personnel, who need files of alumni data, request them through WAA. Campus alumni groups can subscribe as clients to WAA’s alumni tracking database (4D) or its event management database (Peopleware). WAA provides all training, support and development for these applications. WAA hosts an online alumni directory at uwalumni.com, designed to connect UW graduates with each other and with the university. School and college Web sites link to the directory. WAA’s online directory also hosts the Assessment Survey to capture respondents’ answers to seven key questions about their current employment status, relevance of their UW education to their job, and income information for graduates ten years out. Developed in partnership with the Office of Academic Planning and Analysis, the survey compiles information that APA develops into annual alumni profiles for each academic department. These are shared online at apa.wisc.edu/Alumni/alumni_profiles.html.
• On Wisconsin magazine is produced quarterly via a joint partnership with WAA, University Communications and the UW Foundation. The publication is mailed free of charge to all households with current addresses in the alumni database (316,000), and it is one of the largest-circulation alumni magazines in the country.
• Legislative Relations is a collaborative effort between WAA, the UW System state relations staff and the Office of the Chancellor to generate alumni support for UW legislative priorities. WAA, through its Alumni for Wisconsin coalition, holds meetings on campus and in key communities around the state to identify and engage alumni as citizen lobbyists. WAA hosts an annual advocates day on campus, mobilizes alumni through regular e-mail action alerts and direct communication, and coordinates the Alumni Day at the Capitol with all UW System campuses to directly lobby legislators. In 2007, WAA contacted all 120,000 UW alumni living in Wisconsin with the “SAVE BUCKY” campaign message, urging them to return postcards to legislators. More than 30,000 postcards supporting UW-Madison’s budget position flooded the state Capitol.
• The Wisconsin Alumni Lifelong Learningprogram was created in 2001 as an innovative partnership between WAA and the Division of Continuing Studies (DCS). This partnership is unique among public research universities. Over time, the partnership has leveraged human and financial resources from each organization to create a robust program that annually offers nearly 100 lifelong learning opportunities to more than 6,000 alumni and friends. A high priority going forward is to expand the range of online enrichment opportunities to connect alumni around the world. Types of programs include Grandparents University®, Alumni Colleges, Fall and Spring Day on Campus, one-day conference events, day-long field trips and tours, art experiences, monthly lecture series, and online non-credit courses.

• WAA is a financial supporter or event co-sponsor for the following three categories of campus recognition: Distinguished Teaching Awards, Academic Staff Recognition Awards, and Classified Employees Recognition Awards.
• The Distinguished Alumni Award is the highest honor bestowed by the Wisconsin Alumni Association. Since 1936. The award has celebrated outstanding UW-Madison graduates whose professional achievements, contributions to society and support for the university exemplify the Wisconsin Idea. These alumni are honored each spring during an awards ceremony hosted by WAA’s president, the chair of the WAA Board, and the Chancellor.
• The Half Century Club Ceremony and Luncheon is held annually during Alumni Weekend. Dressed in a commencement robe, the chancellor leads the ceremony at Memorial Union’s Great Hall. The Half Century Club luncheon is the signature event during Alumni Weekend and is paid for by the Office of the Chancellor via the UW/WAA Academic Services Agreement.
• Founders Days commemorate the first class held at UW-Madison, taught by Professor John Sterling on February 5, 1849. Founders Day celebrations are held every year from January through May and are sponsored by local alumni chapters throughout Wisconsin, across the country, and around the world. In some areas, Founders Day is the chapter’s premier annual event. Most Founders Day events feature a dinner or reception, a presentation by a prominent UW-Madison faculty member, and other fundraising and/or educational components. The UW-Madison chancellor is often a requested speaker for these events. The Office of the Chancellor processes and pays for speakers’ travel and lodging as prescribed by state regulations.

• First-Year Parents’ Weekend is a three-day itinerary of events designed to engage parents in activities on campus, including lectures by prominent professors, concerts, a “Chat with the Chancellor,” the Badger HUDDLE® tailgate party and a football game, and a Sunday brunch.
• Homecoming is organized and marketed by WAA and the student homecoming organization, a WAA affiliate group. Premier events include the parade, Alumni Reception, fireworks, and football game. Other events surrounding homecoming week include an Alumni Chapter Leaders Forum, affiliate socials, dinners, and a charity golf outing.
• All Campus Party is an alcohol-alternative and cost-free spring celebration, which has quickly become a campus tradition. The Wisconsin Alumni Student Board (WASB) sponsors the event. The Office of the Chancellor has been a strong financial supporter and has encouraged other campus departments, including Housing, Athletics and others, to lend their expertise and support to this weeklong event.