Tools for Shared Interest Group Leaders

 Shared Interest Group Guidelines

I. Definition

Dartmouth shared interest groups are groups of 100 or more Dartmouth alumni who share common interests arising from their Dartmouth undergraduate co-curricular activities or postgraduate professional career experience and desire to affiliate with each other as a subgroup of the Association of Alumni.

a. To strengthen and improve connections between Dartmouth College and all her alumni.

b. To provide additional opportunities for alumni with common professional and career interests to connect and network with each other.

c. To identify and promote alumni leadership.

d. To increase alumni participation in College sponsored events.

e. To increase alumni participation in service to Dartmouth College.

f. To increase opportunities for alumni to mentor undergraduate students with similar professional and career interests.

g. To engage the resources alumni interest groups could bring to the Dartmouth community.

 III. Requirements for Recognition as an Alumni Shared Interest Group

a. Membership potential shall be large enough to sustain leadership and programs—eligible alumni base shall be no less than 100 members.The group must provide a list of the initial 100 members.

b. Write a mission statement, bylaws, and governance structure and have these ratified by membership.

c. Plan and execute a kick-off event for the group

d. If the shared interest group collects dues to pay for membership, the group must apply for an independent 501 c 3 status and file an annual tax statement.

a. Make initial contact with the assistant director of alumni dversity and shared interest groups

b. Identify a group of alumni leaders who will see group through formation period

c. Draft a mission statement, bylaws, and governance structure

d. Develop a membership base of at least a 100 Dartmouth alumni members

e. Membership will approve group's mission statement, bylaws, and governance structure

f. If group develops a website, Alumni Relations will host and list the group on the “Shared Interest Group” page of the Alumni Relations website.

g. Group will next plan at least one event during one-year probationary period.

a. Development of codes in the alumni data base to identify membership.

b. Provide lists for all e-mail communications.

c. For on-campus events, the assistant director of alumni diversity and shared interest groups will offer advice and support on locations, logistics and some other needs.

d. If the shared interest group wishes to design and maintain a Web site, it can be hosted on the Alumni Relations server and listed on the group on the “Shared Interest Group” page of the Alumni Relations website. In order to do this the Web site must adhere to the Web policies of Dartmouth College.

a. Shared interest groups must be independent and self-sustaining organizations.

b. Plan and execute at least one event per year.

c. Provide Alumni Relations Office an annual update of membership list and names of leadership.