Self-Assessment

The strategic plan is the culmination of three years of work, which began with a strategic assessment to gather information on who we are as alumni and what we need from our alumni association and the university. It was the first such self-study in more than 20 years, and included:

• Deployment of an Alumni Attitude Survey which yielded more than 2,100 alumni respondents
• 60+ on-site or phone interviews of more than 100 stakeholders
• Benchmarking study against five similar institutions
• Report of findings delivered to TUAA Board of Directors

What We Learned

The strategic assessment led to the following core discoveries:

The Generation Gap

Older alumni (pre-1999), who see themselves as part of the “commuter generation,” and more recent graduates, who see themselves as part of the “residential life generation,” have different needs. This divide underscores that a “one size fits all” approach to alumni relations is simply not sustainable. 

Affinity for the University vs. School/College/Unit

Alumni have great pride and passion for Temple in a general sense, but affiliation with Temple is much more personal. In many instances, “first identity” is with one’s school/college, a specific extracurricular activity or club and the friends made while involved. 

Communications and Connectivity

Today’s alumni reside all over the world and utilize social media and technology to stay connected in a manner unthinkable even a decade ago. Therefore, the traditional notion of alumni engagement—attending school-related events—can no longer be the primary source of connection with Temple. Temple University Advancement Engagement and TUAA need to adopt a holistic internal and external communications strategy to meet the needs of their constituents. 

TUAA Board Governance

The TUAA Board of Directors, individual board members and the Executive Committee need to be inclusive and reflective of the current alumni base, including regional chapters, affinity groups and school/college alumni associations. 

Strategic Planning

Following the presentation of the self-assessment findings, the TUAA Board and Temple University Advancement Engagement began work on developing the strategic plan. A series of breakout sessions, facilitated discussions and task forces focused on 10 high-level topics, which would become the 10 strategic priorities for the plan. In October 2016, the TUAA board adopted the strategic plan, which supports a vision, mission and aspirations of an alumni base on the rise.

Feedback?

Let us know your thoughts on the TUAA Strategic Plan. Contact us today.