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| Alumni Relations seeks input for new center |
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| Written by Lianna Shepherd - Argonaut | ||||||
| Monday, 24 March 2008 | ||||||
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For Steven Johnson, the executive director of Alumni Relations, working with alumni is a great honor. “I had a wonderful experience during my time in school, it became a wonderful passion. And I believe it’s a passion that our alumni have that’s alive and well throughout the country,” he said. A 1971 graduate, Johnson was hired as the executive director last year and said that “active and effective” communication with alumni is a crucial part of the his office. It was in this spirit that Alumni Relations released a survey meant to gauge the desire of alum’s to have new alumni center. “We’ve had alumni say they’ve wanted a new center for many, many years,” Johnson said. AMS Inc., a California consulting firm, was hired to both construct and release the survey. They will also tabulate the results, which will be released by spring graduation. The survey was sent through an e-mail to between 35,000 and 50,000 alumni with three basic questions: What should be in the building? Where should the building be? What services should it provide? “One of the thoughts or suggestions was that the center should be at an entry point to the university to welcome back students,” Johnson said. Johnson said he would like to see the creation of a visitor’s center in the new alumni building, where people coming to see the school could relax and learn about the history of the university. “We also want a center that students could relate to as well,” he said. “We could have events there with other student organizations and become one more facility open to students.” Funding of the center would be taken from the $15 million raised during the Silver and Bold fundraising campaign. The current Alumni Center is short on staff parking spaces with no parking for visitors or anyone else with business at the Alumni Center. Also, in its current position at 1106 Blake Street across from the Farm House fraternity, Johnson fears the facilities are not as accessible as they should be. He said the same way students come back to see their old professors or the Idaho Commons, “it would be nice if they could make a stop at the alumni center.” “It’s very important to alumni to have a spot to come back to. What we’re trying to establish is a spot for when you come back to campus, you can come in anytime,” he said. For more information about the survey, contact Alumni Relations at 885-6154.  Add as favorites (30) | Views: 334
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