Welcome to the online home of the New York Metro Iowa Alumni Club!
Our 2010 Membership Drive is officially underway! Thank you to everyone who has signed up to be an official club member for 2010. We are still on target to end the membership drive on Sunday 1/24, and then set up electronic elections for officers from Wednesday 1/27-Sunday 1/31.
Here’s the information you need to know regarding becoming a member, joining the board, and voting:
Who Can Vote?
Only official club members can vote in the elections. To become an official club member please visit our sign-up page.
Who Can Run For Office?
In order to run as an officer, you need to be both an official NY club member AND a member of the UIAA. An annual membership with the UIAA starts at $45, or $25 for people graduating within the last five years.
For more information on how to join the UIAA, please visit the UIAA website.
Who Is On The Board?
The 2010 board will consist of 9 people: the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and 5 at-large board officers:
President is the liaison between the club and the UIAA and serves the interests of both groups. The president sets agendas and conducts local board meetings. His/her name will be listed in official print and online UIAA publications, such as the Iowa Alumni Magazine and on the UIAA website.
Vice President is responsible for activities in the absence of the president. He/she is the chief contact to the Big Apple Big Ten Alumni Board and coordinates Iowa alumni game watches.
Secretary is responsible for maintaining club records, minutes, and files.
Treasurer oversees and maintains all club finances, including the club checkbook and provides reports of financial status to be included in meeting minutes.
At-Large Officers are responsible for individual club programs, such as game watch raffles, picnics, community service, scholarships, ASIST, career services, publicity, and membership.
What Are The Officer Obligations And Time Commitment?
Simply put, the main goal for the board will be to re-structure the NY Club so it can grow into one of the best Iowa alumni clubs in the country. It won’t be an overnight process, but we will be well on our way via setting new policies with checks and balances within the club as well as establishing a strong networking outlet for all Iowa alumni in the area.
However, we are all non-paid volunteers doing this in our free time, so the more efficient the board can be without wasting time, the better. The idea we are tinkering with is keeping board meetings to once a quarter, and setting up a message board for electronic communication for any questions or event planning in-between meetings. Also, everyone on the board will pitch in or rotate responsibilities when planning and running events so no individual is taking the brunt of the work load or feeling burned out.
Game watches are a lot of fun, but in order to truly grow as a club we need to have a well-rounded mixture of social, educational and cultural programs as well as volunteer opportunities. Ideally the board would plan at least one non-game watch event per month, including one or two “big” events throughout the year.
I’m A NY Club And UIAA Member. How Do I Run As An Officer?
Email Matt at nychawkeyes@gmail.com to receive the officer form. It’s a Word file we are putting together so every candidate can provide their picture, a quick bio, and reasons why they want to be on the board. This file will be distributed to all official members before the vote so everyone can become familiar with the candidates.
Why Become An “Official” Member If Club Events Are for Everyone?
Yes, the board will plan events for ALL Iowa alumni in the area. However, just like many of the other clubs across the country, there will be an extra incentive towards becoming an official member. That incentive (ex: discounts on club shirts or event tickets) can only be determined though by an elected board.
Also, if there is a large decision that needs approval beyond the board, only the votes from official members will count.
And don’t forget your $10 membership is going towards the club’s $1,000 annual scholarship which goes to an Iowa freshman from the NY area.
Thank you again for all your support and looking forward to a great New Year!
