Friday Evening Connections and Reflections for 8/14/20

Friday Evening Connections and Reflections for August 14, 2020

I was recently contacted by an alumnus of the University who wanted to know about the annual cost of alumni dues and how he could submit his name for nomination to the Council of Seventy. While I could easily help him with the alumni dues question ($20-$35 depending on retirement/individual/couple status), his Council of Seventy inquiry was a different story. In order to help you understand why, let me offer you a brief history of the Council of Seventy.

President R.M. Bell worked with the Alumni Association to establish the Council of Seventy in 1963. Dr. Tommy Smith wrote, "This body of alumni was elected by the Alumni Association to serve in an advisory capacity to the trustees and 'to promote the general welfare of the College.'" (Above Every Other Desire, p. 94)

In the years since its founding, the Council of Seventy lost its advisory capacity to the trustees and became little more than a sub-set of Alumni Association members who continued to "promote the general welfare of the College." They attend special meetings at Homecoming to hear from various leaders within the University community and exercise a limited number of other duties.

For the last several years, the Council dedicated a significant amount of time from each annual meeting to discuss their purpose and how they might renew their value to the University. A number of proposals came and went with little progress toward real and lasting change. Ultimately, during their business meeting at Homecoming 2020, the Alumni Association voted to eliminate the Council of Seventy and focus on creating a new, but similar, body.

President Tommy Smith spoke with Council leaders and the director of alumni relations about his desire to have a broad-based group of alumni with whom he could consult to enhance communication and gain insight on behalf of the University. The Alumni Association took this request to heart and decided to take action.

During the Alumni Association business meeting, former Council leaders, Alumni Association officers, and the director of alumni relations were tasked with creating a new proposal that would add value to the University, re-engage alumni in an advisory and consulting role with University leaders, and represent the voice of alumni across all vocations for which the University prepares students to "extend the kingdom of God."

This week, a formation committee convened to discuss the issues and consider possible structures for a new alumni advisory group. This committee includes the deans, co-deans, or key personnel from each academic school of the University in addition to the alumni leaders previously mentioned. Please pray for this group as they strive to create a proposal that will enhance the relationship and communication between alumni and the University.