As the Steering Committee on the Student Life Initiative finalizes its recommendations of the full Board of Trustees, College alumni clubs are preparing to disseminate the news quickly and thoroughly as possible, in an effort to avoid some of the miscommunications that occurred last year shortly after the announcement of the Initiative.
Hoping to avoid alumni uproar after the Steering Committee recommendations are released, the council is working on how to receive feedback from as many alumni as possible and pass on the information to the Trustees, according to President of the Alumni Council Kelly Fead '78.
"A lot of the strong initial alumni reaction came from what people thought the Initiative was about," Fead said.
The Council is considering communication methods including satellite broadcasts, e-mail bulletins, presentations by Trustees and mass mailings, Fead said, adding individual clubs have also coordinated their own efforts.
"I think that right now everyone's waiting to see what's going to happen, but it's difficult to track the issue moment to moment," Fead said.
However, some clubs are trying to do just that.
The Los Angeles Alumni Club, for example, has placed a poll on its website to monitor member opinion. As of 3 p.m. yesterday, 43 percent of the 136 respondents said they wanted the Greek System to remain as it is, 38 percent said they thought the Committee should "amend" but not "end it," and 19 percent felt it should be banned entirely.
The L.A. Alumni Club, like many others throughout the country, has sponsored speakers, such as President James Wright and various Trustees, at its meetings. Members involved in the alumni network said the speeches were beneficial.
"I think that there were some constructive ideas... It was very clear that discussion was welcome," Former President of Chicago's Alumni Club, Peter Prims '77 said, where Wright spoke last April.
"Everyone agreed that the problem was how [the Initiative] was announced," Prims explained.
In Los Angeles, Craig Douglass '78, President of the city's club, noticed a similar trend.
"As more information has gone out, more egos are being pacified and there's more support for the Initiative," he said.
Douglass felt the younger alumni, who are closer to the College, are vocal about issues concerning it.
"It's the older alumni who are most vociferous about it. There are comments like, 'How can you get involved in the organization when in Hanover they're changing our institution?'"
Since the Initiative announcement last February, Douglass has not seen any change in attendance, financial contribution, or membership in the Los Angeles Club.
Having received many angry responses when the Five Principles announcement first broke out, Anton Anderson '89, active in the club, said, the anger has since subsided. However, he added, "I'm hearing that those who are really pissed about it have simply withdrawn all contact with the College," because they feel the decision is a "fait accompli."
However, Prims has observed a more receptive to change attitude among Chicago alums.
"I think that most of the alumni from the all-male days are being fairly open to change. There have been a lot of changes that have happened since they went to Dartmouth and they have seen how positive it has been. If anyone's more stridently opposed, it's former Greek members who are afraid that the Greek system will go."
Douglass guessed that the percentage of Chicago alumni who feel the Initiative is an attempt to eliminate the Greek system at less than 10 or even five percent.
Douglass said a wide range of opinion exists among the alums; while most, including former fraternity members, recognize the room for improvement, few are calling for the complete elimination of a system that has some important contributions to the community, he said.
