A Volunteer's Voice
A Class Council: What Role Does It Play?
by Ed Greenberg '59
The question is often asked, “What role does a Class Council have in organizing and overseeing Class activities?” The answer probably has many variations, but here are some insights that may prove valuable if your Class is considering becoming more active or wants to “get organized.”
One of the primary functions of a Class Council is to directly involve a group of interested volunteers in the business of the Class, assisting Class Officers in formulating policy and conceiving, selecting, and implementing projects and activities. As such, the Council helps spread the word and actively supports those projects.
There are many and varied approaches to organizing a Class Council. Geographical representation is one. Residential college consideration another. Some Classes simply open their Class Council meetings to any interested Classmate who wishes to attend. Those who do are offered a position on the Class Council.
Timing and location of Council meetings is important. Some Classes holdCouncil meetings in conjunction with Reunions or Class Dinners. Others call meetings once or twice a year, often to coincide with either the Harvard or Princeton games when played in New Haven. And in between meetings, the Council can be kept up to date and gather opinions using e-mail and fax. The approach varies from Class to Class depending on what “works.” But the Council is in place at all times, ready to respond to ideas, offer opinions and lend a hand.
Who actually comes to Council meetings also varies from Class to Class. The realities of time demands and location often result in a group of stalwarts that becomes an “Executive Committee” which somewhat streamlines decision making.
All Yale Classes solicit dues to fund the Yale Alumni Magazine subscription and Class activities. An active Class Treasurer can often help the Class build a Treasury that can be used to defray the cost of five year reunions, mini reunions, and fund special projects such as the endowment of a Community Service Summer Fellow or “adopting” a residential College. Whatever the project or activity, the Class and its officers will benefit from the involvement, support, and collective wisdom of a Class Council.
Note: At the Fall 2003 Assembly, a Class Council breakout session was held. The focus of the breakout was to explore the many ways a class council can be structured, when and why they developed and how they can assist in making a class an active one. Four experienced class leaders (Bruce Roberts ’47, Ed Greenberg ’59, Peter Wells ’60, and Jimmy Lu ‘77) shared their own thoughts and experiences.
In the discussion that followed, interest was expressed in developing a class officer mentor program. Officers interested in either mentoring or being mentored should contact their staff liaison. For more details from the breakout session visit http://www.aya.yale.edu/classleaders/success/class_council02.htm.