Monday,

November 28th, 2011 Meeting of the Alumni Network

Present: Vass Bednar (10), Viola Dessanti (10), Sonja Friesl (10), Anna-Maria (Mia) Cappella (10), Brent Barron (11), Jay Paleja (09), James Kim (09), Sam Young (09), Augustina Silva (11), Kaleb Ruch (09), Caitlin Cassie (11), Dipal Dimani (10), Andre Cote (09) Regrets: Bernita Rebeiro (09), Matt Godwin (10), Carolyn Doyle (11) REVIEW OF ACTION ITEMS: - ALL: promote the Alumni Holiday after party on December 6 - Mia: will post information on Party to Facebook - VASS: consider Alumni Library launch event to coincide with Internship Mentorship event Jan 12-13 - Sonja & Vass: will think of ways to promote and reinvigorate the Book Club maybe change name? - Kaleb: reschedule meeting with Advancement office and report back to group - Sam: will write an e-mail from her experience at the meeting with UTAA around ideas for fundraising that other alumni associations are doing - Dipal & Sonja: will look into potential events that an SPPG team could attend - Viola: will get in touch with PGI regarding longitudinal survey project Updates from Point People Communications and Knowledge Sharing Viola - A couple of people met to talk about Communications and Knowledge Sharing - Thought that official communications should be clear/consistent and well-branded; already got feedback that there were too many communications - Matt will continue producing the newsletter - Positive feedback received on tone and content of newsletter - Matt wants us to feed him content o Example: social news - Vass has done an amazing job being the master of the website o Anyone can update information on the site o SPPG alumni username that anyone can enter with (get in touch with Vass or Viola to get it) Vass: Mark received good feedback on the alumni network from Arts and Sciences

Meeting Chaired by Viola. Minutes by Sonja and Viola

Positive feedback from other alumni at meeting re: website Viola: We need to encourage people to follow the site consistently. How? Social & Events Mia: Next event TUESDAY DECEMBER 6 @ Charlies gallery after party (after the SPPG Christmas party) - No food but platters available - Enough food at Christmas party, or on the way over - Send e-mail to those who have RSVPd to let them know - Everyone should link to facebook Mentorship Vass: - Library launch in January - 25 people have signed up to be checked-out - Tracking down has been divided up - Ask at holiday party and after-party Viola: idea to host a launch event for the library? Sonja: Networking event for library? Everyone checked out for two hours to kick it off? Sam: Piggy-back on Internship Career Marketing Days to cater to current students looking for internships/jobs? Vass: will look into hosting it as part of Internship Marketing Day on January 11 and 12th Vass: Send with SPPGalumni@gmail.com mailbox to avoid confusion between SPPG and personal e- mails Book Club Sonja: Book club update Viola: How can we get people to come to the book club? Ideas to promote the Book Club: Reassure people that it is not too academic what the tone of it is? Caitlin: Like to get into things more a book that is about something specific. - Themes every month Vass: Change the name? - Emphasize the fluidity of the club Viola: Think about repositioning the book club Mia: ABCD (D for drop-in?) Finances and Fundraising

Meeting Chaired by Viola. Minutes by Sonja and Viola

 Kaleb: - - - -

Giving back to the school in the next five years Not getting big $$ from any alumni Rely on small amounts from many, often Met with Mark o No specifics on giving back to the school (through school or us) o Events that schools like to sponsor happy to co-sponsor events but, would like to see us self-funding Start charging for events Monthly or yearly due? Meeting scheduled with UofT advancement (cancelled working on rescheduling) Something on paper by the next meeting to distribute Very Toronto centric Corporate policy to handle funds/charge (for example: pocket in Ottawa, how do they collect, where does the money go) How do we make our organization sustainable Scholarship/Bursary?

- - - - - - - -

Augustina: important to think and highlight what money will be used for. Giving back to the school for what? Telling people might encourage/promote contributions Jay: cursory look at legal, charitable etc... Vass: does it all have to go through advancement? No only donations or monetary gifts to the school. Mia: can alumni have their own bank account? Vass: Zora is the budget officer can she handle it? - We are not an entity yet, it would have to be in someones name Vass: Cant issue receipts though.... Viola: would have to get charitable status may or may not want to do... Jay: Can we leverage other events to raise money? Ex: get an author to sign a book and then raffle it off? Dipal: Raffle prizes at the final formal? Kaleb: please e-mail ideas to Kaleb James: can we get sponsors or Patrons? Vass: suggests getting a Class gift? Engage Student Association on? We could do it Retroactively Feedback on homecoming James and Vass - Report with feedback posted on site. - Something to consider for next year: o Catering as an incentive? o Continuing to have speakers elevate the speakers? Meeting Chaired by Viola. Minutes by Sonja and Viola

o Bernita should we think of more ways to solicit feedback after an event? o Sold ourselves by our unique positions (students speaking to students) o No other kind of speaking series bringing in former students - James will take the lead again next year Caitlin: More time for more informal discussion/interaction James: Alison has offered up her space to us Finances and Fundraising Discussion Mia: Fundraising even in early Spring - Wait until it is warmer, so that we can do it outside dont have to pay for the rental charge - Announce fundraising initiative at this event? Vass: In March, what will we need the money for? For what? - Build library? - Do we need to worry about being self-funded this year? Mia: Anything coordinated will require money - Cover costs and a cushion Vass: we could host a bake sale for current student, faculty and staff to raise money for Alumni Viola: money can be raised to fun regular reoccurring launch event Vass: Tie fundraising to a specific outcome Alumni Launch Event is the only thing we need funds for right now - Do it in the summer Mia: Put structure around what we will be spending on what - So that it doesnt feel like people are just paying for a party Vass: Scholarship advancement Viola: Do people need options of where to contribute their money? Sam: we could have a drop down menu with different options that people are donating to. Casey: suggests getting patron or corporate sponsor Dipal: Deloitte is partnering up with various organizations in public policy, why not approach them? Agreement that Primary focus though this year is raising money for the welcome alumni party Kaleb: Once we are a larger organization we can establish a fellowship/scholarship Sonja: Graduation party a bigger networking event to give people a reason to financially contribute? Dipal: Merit in having a corporate sponsor gives us exposure to a broader community - Important to have our own community, but also need exposure

Meeting Chaired by Viola. Minutes by Sonja and Viola

Events coming up in the winter: o Three book clubs o Alumni library o Alumni vs. Staff Soccer game (End of April Trinity when can we get a field?)

Dipal: Volunteering event? o Habitat for Humanity o Stair Climb o SPPG Team o Relay Viola: Who is in charge? - Sam will write an e-mail from her experience at the meeting with UTAA around ideas for fundraising that other alumni associations are doing - Dipal and Sonja will look into potential events that an SPPG team could attend Andre: for example: UofT Mississauga policy case competitions judges are big name people Vass: Theatre/movie club existing student doing this we can support by promoting and attending OTHER BUSINESS: Brent offered to be the Official photographer at alumni events Augustina asked about PGI longitudinal Survey? Viola will contact Jose and Thom to get an update Karen Thorburn is liasing with an IPAC subgroup Next meeting date: January 23, 2012 @ 6pm Chair: Mia Minutes by: Stacey McDonald

Meeting Chaired by Viola. Minutes by Sonja and Viola