Class Officer FAQ
The following are some of the most common questions we hear
from class volunteers. We hope this FAQ serves as a useful
summary, as well as pointing you to other resources available
to you.
AYA CLASS AREA STAFF & RESOURCES
Your most immediate resource is the AYA staff person assigned
to your class. Please call or email whenever you have questions
or when we can be helpful to you in your work on behalf of
your class & Yale.
In addition to personal contact with your staff liaison,
we encourage you to make use of other available resources.
Past class officers can provide history, records, and much
useful advice. The AYA will send periodic memos & reminders.
We also maintain a Class Leadership Toolbox online (www.aya.yale.edu/classleaders);
all of our memos (including this FAQ) and lots of other handy
information are posted there. If you don't see something
that you think should be there, just let us know!
CLASS GOVERNANCE
While the governance of each class is determined by that class and by any by-laws established by the class officers & class council, the AYA's has some general guidelines on the duties of the officers as suggested "best practices."
Secretary & Treasurer share responsibility for the following:
- primary responsibility for all class activities & communications;
- engaging classmate volunteers in service to the class and the University including recruitment of classmates to plan various class activities between reunions;
- participating in strategic planning for the class with the Association of Yale Alumni
serving as liaisons between the class and the University;
- organization of a Class Council and/or executive committee;
- attending Fall AYA Assembly in New Haven on the weekend of the last home football game (Harvard or Princeton)
Secretary primary responsibility:
- appointing reunion chairs and assisting chairs in planning reunion;
- writing Class notes six times a year for the Yale Alumni Magazine or appointing a corresponding secretary;
Treasurer primary responsibility:
- management of the class treasury;
- soliciting annual dues from classmates (usually two solicitation letters per year) and thanking classmates for dues contributions by way of monthly postcards;
- approving class financial transactions, including volunteer reimbursements, or in some cases both officers for larger amounts (such as subsidies for 5-year reunions)
What is the role of the class council?
We strongly encourage each class to form a class council or executive committee to share the work of the class and to provide decision-making input to the class officers. The organization of such a body is up to the individual class; some are set up with distinct terms of office and members are elected. Others are more informal and any classmate who is interested may serve. And there are other options in between! Councils may meet "in person", by conference call, by email, or some combination. Your AYA staff liaison can work with you on finding an approach that works for your class.
Does my class have a constitution?
As recognized 501(c)3 organizations under the University tax exempt umbrella, every class has a class constitution; the basic template was set up to meet the IRS criteria for tax-deductibility (see Class Finances, below). Because the basic constitution is fairly general, classes may find it useful to have by-laws to govern the details of how the class will operate. Contact your AYA staff liaison to get a copy of your class's constitution and by-laws (if applicable) and to discuss this in more detail.
CLASS FINANCES
What are the appropriate uses of class treasury funds?
The class treasuries have 501(c)3 status under Yale's umbrella, and are therefore governed by relevant IRS regulations. As such, funds are intended to develop a strong and enduring Class structure in order to further the interests, welfare, and educational purposes of the Class and of Yale University. In addition to the cost of your class's group subscription to the Yale Alumni Magazine, which is sent to all classmates, treasury monies may be used for:
- class communications including mailings & websites
- volunteer reimbursement for expenses related to class business
- promotion of class events
- support for the 5-year reunions in New Haven
- class directory or reunion book publication
- some classes also send the magazine to widows/widowers of deceased classmates.
Because classes have 501(c)3 status, contributions to the treasuries - such as dues - are tax-exempt contributions. Other treasury income, such as event fees, is not tax-exempt. In addition, event-related vendor payments may or may not be exempt from state sales tax. State laws vary quite a bit, and even in states where sales tax is not charged to 501(c)3 organizations, Yale may not hold a tax-exempt certificate, and the class would need to apply for one on its own.
Generally speaking, other than 5-year reunions in New Haven, most classes choose to price events to be self-supporting beyond the cost of promotions. The reasoning is that non-reunion events such as class dinners and mini-reunions usually involve a relatively small percentage of the class, and class leaders would prefer to direct funds to serve all or most of the class (such as general communications, the YAM, classbooks, and your 5-year reunions). Your AYA staff liaison would be happy to discuss these questions with you and help you to determine what makes the most sense for your class based on the event specifics and your current financial status.
Class treasury funds may be used to support Yale in other ways, with the approval of the class officers and class council if there is one. Some classes support student fellowships or AYA Community Service Summer Fellowships. Classes have also made contributions to the Athletics Department, Dwight Hall, or the like. Please note that because of IRS rules, treasury funds may not be used to support charitable projects outside the University.
From time to time, a class will raise the issue of a special Yale fundraising project. Any such project must be cleared with the Development Office before soliciting classmates, and the AYA will therefore share with the Development Office for review any class mailings that include a fundraising solicitation other than that for annual class dues.
The classmate organizing an upcoming mini-reunion would like to pay for one of the events himself, as a contribution to the class. Is this a tax-deductible contribution?
From time to time, classmates indicate an interest in supporting class activities financially, either with a cash gift or by providing an in-kind gift of goods or services. Examples in the past have included a classmate who hosts a cocktail party or other event during a mini-reunion, or a classmate who donates the wine for a class dinner. In such situations, the classmate is usually interested in receiving a gift acknowledgement for his or her federal income taxes.
With the approval of the class officers and the event organizer, it is possible for Yale to provide a gift acknowledgement, in one of two ways:
- The classmate may make a contribution directly to the class treasury. Personal checks or credit card information may be sent to your AYA staff liaison, who will take care of crediting the gift appropriately. The classmate should also provide details on what the funds are intended to cover for accounting purposes.
- The classmate may choose to cover the relevant expenses "out of pocket" and then provide documentation to your AYA staff liaison in the form of receipts. The classmate should make clear that he/she is seeking a gift acknowledgement, rather than reimbursement of expenses. The classmate should maintain records of expenditures for IRS purposes.
It is important to communicate to classmates who may make such a donation that they will not receive University or reunion gift credit, since the gift is to the class, not to Yale.
Our AYA delegate and the class officers will be attending the November AYA Assembly and we'd like to cover the travel expenses out of our class treasury. How do I do that?
First, let your AYA staff liaison know that you (as class secretary or treasurer) approve the expenditure of your treasury money. Each person should then submit their receipts for reimbursement. This applies to any travel-related expense. AYA delegates are also asked to make a voluntary contribution to help cover the cost of the Assembly. If your class chooses to cover this contribution, the delegate should not pay out of pocket. We will make an internal funds transfer in the amount you designate instead.
In addition, all volunteers should know that if they choose not to be reimbursed, they may be able to claim their travel expenses as a deduction on their income taxes (individuals should consult their tax advisors for details). The AYA can provide a certificate of attendance for this purpose.
We've just held a class event/council meeting, and one of my classmates needs to be reimbursed for expenses.
After letting your AYA staff liaison know that you approve the expenditure from the class treasury, the classmate should submit original receipts for reimbursement to the AYA. Yale's accounting regulations are very detailed, and abiding by them preserves your class's tax-exempt status in the event of an IRS audit, so please consult your AYA staff liaison with any questions.
How do I get a report on our class treasury balance?
Please contact your AYA staff liaison or Janet Cappiello. If you need the report for a class council or other meeting, please allow one week for processing your request.
CLASS PROGRAMMING & EVENTS
I would like to know what other classes in my age group are doing. Does the AYA keep lists of this kind of information? How do I contact other class officers?
Your class liaison is your primary resource for help and guidance on class activities. In addition, the Class Leadership Toolbox is a great source of information about successful class events; go to www.aya.yale.edu/classleaders and click on "Success Stories & Helpful Hints" under the "Class Events & Mini-Reunions" heading to see reports written by volunteers. Another helpful link is the one for "Sample Mailings," in the same section of the toolbox. Some reports and other news of interest are also posted on the Yale College Classes section of the AYA website (www.aya.yale.edu/classes).
The AYA maintains an online calendar of upcoming events (go to www.aya.yale.edu/classes and click on the link for Events Calendar at the bottom left of the page). AYA maintains a separate site for Yale College Reunions at www.aya.yale.edu/reunions.
By default, all class officers are subscribed to a moderated class officer email mailing list to facilitate sharing of ideas and questions among officers and the staff. AYA staff send periodic messages to the mailing list with updates on class events and other news of note, and list members may post at any time. Ensuing email discussion may include queries about planned events, sharing of ideas and brainstorming about new events or programs, and class officers providing guidance about what has or hasn't worked in the past. You may choose to "opt-out" of this list with the enclosed officer update form. The list is a moderated one, meaning there will be a delay in any email you send to the list being forwarded to the entire group. An AYA staff person reviews each message before releasing it for group distribution. The sender receives an immediate, automatically-generated message from the list software saying that the message awaits approval from the moderator. If your message is not sent by the moderator to the list, you will receive a message explaining why, and in many cases, we will be able to forward your message on to the appropriate individual recipient.
The AYA will send you periodic listings of all class officers with contact information. You can also access this information on the AYA website at http://www.aya.yale.edu/leadership/. You may find it useful to talk directly to other class leaders to share ideas, in addition to making use of the officer email mailing list.
I would like to hold more class events during my term. How do I get started?
Contact your AYA staff liaison who can provide overall event planning information and suggestions. The Class Leadership Toolbox (www.aya.yale.edu/classleaders) also contains many helpful resources. AYA provides a range of services, including coordinating promotional mailings, tracking responses, vendor payments, etc.
CONTACTING CLASSMATES
Where can I get a list of all classmates with contact information?
To contact an individual classmate, you can look up the most up-to-date information Yale has through the Online Alumni Directory (go to www.aya.yale.edu and click on "Alumni Directory"). If you have not yet registered for the OAD, there are instructions on the website for logging in.
Electronic or paper lists of classmate contact information are available to you for legitimate class and University purposes only, such as class event publicity, newsletters, and other mailings. Some officers find a paper list more convenient than looking up information online. Please note that we recommend that you take advantage of AYA's services for class-wide mailings and broadcast email (see next section).
The University has an obligation to protect alumni from illegitimate access to their contact information. Alumni trust the University to respect their privacy and to use their contact information appropriately. Our practice of entrusting the information to volunteers stands or falls on volunteer willingness to protect the information and limit its use to class or Yale-related activities. Examples of ways that this information should not be used include (but are not limited to): political or other outside fundraising, research projects, and publicity for non-Yale events. Lists also should not be used for information that could otherwise be publicized in the Class Notes (such as a partnership announcement). The AYA receives these sorts of requests on a weekly basis, and we wouldn't be surprised if you did too! Your AYA staff liaison would be happy to discuss these policies with you and provide guidance.
For more information and to request a paper list or electronic spreadsheet, contact your AYA staff liaison. Please plan on 5-7 business days for these requests and note that there are administrative costs for each such request that will be charged to your class treasury.
What do I do with new address information from classmates?
Alumni Records is the department that maintains the alumni database, and is separate from the AYA. You can either email information directly to alumni.records@yale.edu or you can forward it to your AYA staff liaison. You can also encourage classmates to update their own information through the Online Alumni Directory - go to www.aya.yale.edu and click on the link. This is also a great way for classmates to keep in touch with each other.
Please remember, even though Alumni Records department is literally updating information daily with data coming from alumni via mail, phone, email and web, this data is only as accurate as the information provided by the individual alumnus/a. You will greatly aid Yale in our record keeping if you encourage your classmates to keep their contact information current with the university.
CLASS COMMUNICATIONS: MAILINGS, YAM NOTES, LISTSERVS & WEBSITES
My class is holding an event in a few weeks. How do I get the word out to my classmates?
Your AYA staff liaison, working with the Alumni Services department, can handle all aspects of any mailing to your classmates, whether for an event or for another purpose. All you need to do is send an electronic copy of your letter (or mail/fax a hard copy) to your AYA staff liaison with your instructions. Because these mailings are processed by the same department that handles mailings for most Yale offices, at busy times it can take 7-10 days to send your mailing from when AYA receives the information.
Increasingly, classes are choosing broadcast email and other electronic means to distribute information about class events. Using email has the advantage of immediacy and cost-effectiveness, but there are also some disadvantages. Yale has email for many alumni, but not all, and some alumni have indicated that they do not wish to receive email from Yale. In addition, email is not the best way to distribute detailed information. If you have the ability to post schedules and reservation details on your class website, you can keep the email announcement brief and punchy, while pointing classmates to that site for more information.
AYA has a broadcast email tool and we encourage class officers and volunteers to make use of this rather than sending mass emails themselves. Your internet service provider (ISP) may restrict your ability to send email to multiple recipients, and using AYA's tool takes advantage of the most up-to-date email addresses on record in Yale's alumni database. In addition, we can provide guidance on limiting the volume of emails you send to avoid overwhelming classmates with messages. Please allow time for discussing the email's text with your staff person, who may have valuable suggestions based on past experience. Once final text is approved, we need about one additional week to prepare and send the message to your classmates.
If you do decide to email all classmates directly, and you plan to do so with any frequency - as you prepare for a 5-year reunion, for example - please clearly note that in your first message. You should then provide classmates the opportunity to "opt out" of future communications. It's a good idea to include these reminders in each subsequent email. Again, be aware that many ISPs have restrictions on bulk emails; you should contact your ISP directly for more information. If you choose to send an email to more than five (5) of the alumni listed on your class list, it is strongly recommended that you include their email addresses in the "BCC" field (rather than "TO" or "CC" fields) of an email message. This both protects the privacy of your classmates' addresses and shortens the length of your message, since the recipients will not need to scroll through the long list of recipients to read your message.
Please feel free to discuss your communications options with your class liaison at any time.
I am responsible for the Class Notes column in the Yale Alumni Magazine. What should I do if I can't make a deadline? Am I the only one who can write the column?
If you know in advance you won't be able to meet a deadline, we suggest you ask another officer or classmate to "guest" write for you. We know from feedback over the years that classmates are very disappointed when a column is missed. For more information about YAM class notes, please contact Ellen Cole (432-4109, ellen.cole@yale.edu), YAM Associate Editor (YAM is independently published & separate from AYA).
I am not signed up for the class mailing list; how do I join?
Simply go to www.aya.yale.edu and click on the "Online Resources: Mailing Lists" link in the left-hand column for complete instructions, as well as information on how these lists work.
My class webpage is out of date! Or we'd like to start a class webpage.
AYA provides server space to host class web pages, and the maintenance of class webpage content is the responsibility of the class. Classes can enlist classmate volunteers or hire an individual or company. To view a sampling of what other classes have done, go to www.aya.yale.edu/classes/websites.htm. For more information about creating a class webpage or uploading developed pages, consult your AYA staff liaison.
In particular, please note that if you are inclined to put classmate information or class notes on your website, you must password-protect this section of the site. The AYA can provide some technical assistance to your webmaster, and we will also be happy to work with you to publicize the password to your classmates.
Note: The AYA staff maintains the main AYA webpage and its subsidiaries
(www.aya.yale.edu), including reunion information and registration (www.aya.yale.edu/reunions). Please let your AYA staff liaison know if you find an error or information that needs updating on these sites.
Last updated: 8/07
