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AYA Home --> Assembly ->Reporting Methods
AYA Assemblies
The
Delegate's Role
1. What is an AYA Delegate?
1. What is an AYA Delegate? An AYA delegate is an alumnus of Yale who is selected to represent a constituency to the AYA Assembly, an annual gathering of alumni leaders in New Haven. Delegates serve a three-year term that typically begins on July 1 and ends June 30 three years later. Constituencies have varying numbers of delegates as provided by the AYA Constitution.
2. What are the responsibilities of an AYA Delegate?
Delegates come to New Haven in the fall to attend the Assembly. As representatives of their constituency (either a class, club, graduate and professional school alumni association, or shared interest group), delegates are charged with bringing thoughts, concerns, and questions from their group to the Assembly and raising those issues at the appropriate sessions. Following the Assembly, delegates report back to their constituency on they learned, both in response to the issues raised by the constituency and from the Assembly program in general. The report can be an oral one at a meeting of the constituency, a written report in notes or a newsletter of the group, an electronic report, or any other forum that works for the constituency. An Executive Summary of the Assembly is provided by the AYA. In the event that a delegate cannot attend an Assembly for some reason, an alternate delegate should be appointed for the constituency.
3. Who should be an AYA Delegate?
Constituency leaders should appoint individuals who are well-positioned to represent the constituency at the annual Assembly program. Because the Assemblies are the preeminent volunteer leadership development program offered by the AYA, constituencies are strongly encouraged to appoint the most senior elected officer from their boards to any open delegate position. If the senior officer cannot serve, constituencies are strongly encouraged to name another board officer. If none of the current officers can hold the delegate position, constituencies should name an individual who has the potential to serve as a volunteer leader. As a representative alumni group, the Assembly is optimally a diverse group of individuals in terms of age, gender, race, occupation, and geographic location.
4. Who can be an AYA Delegate?
Any alumnus/a of Yale College, the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, and/or any of Yale’s professional schools is eligible to serve as a delegate. Delegates are typically named by the leadership of their constituency. Once an alumnus has served a full three-year term as a delegate, he or she is not eligible to be appointed until three more years have passed. If a delegate is filling out someone else’s term or for some other reason has not served a full three-year term, he or she is eligible for re-nomination to a consecutive term.
5. Does it cost anything to be an AYA Delegate?
Delegates are responsible for getting themselves to New Haven and for the cost of their hotel accommodations, though the AYA reserves blocks of hotel rooms at a discounted rate on behalf of the delegates. Meals are provided as part of the Assembly. Delegates are invited to make a voluntary contribution to offset some of the costs of the Assembly (a contribution of $200 per person defrays a portion of the Assembly costs). In the event that the delegate is unable to bear these various expenses, we ask the constituency to assist. In addition, some financial aid is available from the AYA to delegates for whom the costs would be a barrier to their attendance. Voluntary contributions and travel expenses may qualify for a tax deduction.
6. What is the Assembly?
The Assembly is an annual fall gathering of AYA delegates and guests who meet in New Haven for two-three days. Dates of the Assemblies are available at least a year in advance, but are typically scheduled in conjunction with the final home football game.
Each Assembly has a broad subject area that will be examined by the delegates, University administrators, faculty, staff and students through a series of plenaries, panels, breakouts, meetings, and other information sharing sessions. The Assembly is also designed to offer volunteer leadership development opportunities. Free time to explore the campus is also scheduled. In addition, the Assembly provides a number of opportunities to meet and interact with other delegates and other alumni volunteers as well as faculty, administrators, staff, and students.
A preliminary program and registration form for the Assembly are mailed to all delegates approximately six to eight weeks before the program.
If you have additional questions regarding delegate service, please contact Alisa Masterson at the AYA at 203-432-1947 or via e-mail at alisa.masterson@yale.edu.
