6/4/2021

Meeting Minutes - June 4, 2021

A regular meeting of the Board of Directors of the Longwood University Alumni Board was called to order at 5:10 p.m. on Friday, June 4, 2021, on Zoom.

Directors Present: Erica Howell, President, Chris Tunstall, Vice President; Ryan Catherwood, Treasurer; Chris Davis, Secretary; Kathy Hansen Fox; Robin Liesfeld; Cydney Cavender; Lynne Chambers; Dan Hughes; Rachel Rose; Rickie Hodges; Cheryl Steele; Heather Brown; Becky Schnekser; Eboni Lee; George Moore; Shawn Evans McDougall; Harron Fells; Charlaine Hirst; Cheryl Steele; Brenda Ojibway; Linda Norris; Byron Bracey

Directors Absent: Paige Rollins

Representatives Present: Cheryl Steele, Dean of Student Engagement and Tammy Jones, Foundation Board Rep

Approval of Minutes

Action No. 1: Approval of the March 2021 minutes requested from Erica Howell: Motion by Heather Brown; Seconded by Dan Hughes.

Special Guest: Cheryl Steel – Student Life during COVID

• Started 2020-2021 year with many national/global events and concerns on students’ minds.
• Adjustments to virtual/hybrid learning while dealing with a lack of connections and balancing COVID guidelines.
• No guests from outside of students’ residential area.

POSITIVES

• Perseverance of students and faculty and staff with COVID guidelines.
• 9 New Student Organizations created on campus even through social distancing.
• Major events still happened (I.e., Oktoberfest; Band Fest; Oozeball and Spring Weekend) at Longwood.

NEXT YEAR CHANGES

• Increases in hybrid program options, building technology and exploring more outdoor opportunities.
• Reintroduce traditions so all graduating classes can get the full Longwood experience and community.
• Emphasize the residential experience within Longwood.
• Begin to work on new Diversity Initiatives with first-generation and minority students.

Tammy Jones – Foundation Board

• Longwood Cares Ranked 8/26 in the Love Your Longwood Day Donations
• $7,043 in contributions from 58 donors
• Lettie Pate-Whitehead Foundation – Provides support for education of female students targeting medical, nursing, and allied health fields. See Website
• Encouraging Universities who receive scholarships for students to provide students with connections to campus leaders and school initiatives
• Longwood totaled scholarships worth $280,000 for 89 Students awarded
• Foundation Board meets next on June 18^th, 2021.

President’s Report – Erica Howell

• Welcoming New Members: Brittany Jackson and Kathy Verhappen who will join us at the September meeting.

Vice President’s Report – Chris Tunstall

• Will be attending the Foundation Board Meeting on June 18^th, 2021.
• Updating them on initiatives that Alumni Board of Directors have moving forward.

Treasurer’s Report – Ryan Catherwood

• Balfour Ring contract has been renewed for 5 years.
• Balfour also wants to also partner with Longwood on university regalia which will be TBD after clearing with Barnes & Noble and other Longwood merchandisers.
• Ring sales were down in sales YoY: 110 in 2019, 117 in 2020, 99 in 2021

COMMITTEE REPORTS
Board Relations – Chris Tunstall

• Initiatives – Develop a quality slate of nominations for the Board for membership
• New Alumni Board member Orientation Program including an Alumni Board Buddy to mentor along
• Working to have a clear Board Emeritus Program to keep former members active and engaged

Alumni Events – Linda Norris

• Searching for a volunteer event for the Board to participate in during September meeting
• Potentially looking at a Friday gathering at a new/renovated building

Alumni Awards – Kathy Fox

• Adjusting the timelines for nominees given the awards have changed
• Working on making sure that the Alumni Awards are publicized so that plenty of people know about them.

Career Engagement/Structure and Function – Byron Bracey

• Working on how to bring together initiatives that positively impact Diversity and Inclusion and Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs in the workspace
• How do we get more minority alumni to participate?
• Moving more of the By-Laws and updating from Structure and Function over to the Executive

Office of Alumni and Career Services Update – Ryan Catherwood

• Work for Career Engagement and Micro Internships to be promoted more as we move forward.
• Connecting rising seniors for micro-Internships and graduates to jobs

FUTURE MEETINGS

September 24-25, 2021(Hopefully at Longwood)

March 18 – 19, 2022

June 3 – 4, 2022