Alumni Association begins 2024-2025 election cycle this December

The Alumni Association wouldn’t be able to provide quality engagement to our alumni locally and across the country without the support of our exceptional volunteers. Each year, a detailed election process is held for all leadership positions for our main volunteer groups — the Alumni Association Executive Board and the Alumni Council. 

Amy Armstrong, associate vice president for alumni engagement and Alumni Association CEO, sheds light on the specifics of this election process. “We want to openly share about the steps involved with these elections so that all alumni feel informed about how the process works,” Armstrong said. 

The election cycle begins in December for the Executive Board, which has a critical role within the Alumni Association. Some of their responsibilities include setting policies for the organization, overseeing the budget and setting the organization’s strategic direction. The group consists of the president, immediate past president, president-elect and six additional members.

On December 15, a call will go out to all members of the Alumni Council asking for nominations to fill the vacant positions on the Executive Board. To qualify for a nomination, a person must be a current Loyalty Fund member and have served on the Alumni Council for at least one year. All nominees must be prepared to serve a five-year term on the Executive Board, beginning on July 1, 2024.

Once the deadline to receive nominations has passed, all nominated candidates will be validated before an official ballot is sent out. By mid-January, electronic ballots will be distributed to the Alumni Council. The Executive Board election will officially end on January 30, and an independent party will verify the results. These results will be announced at the Spring Council Meeting in early February. 

At the Spring Council Meeting, officers for the Executive Board will also be ratified. Recommendations for an officer slate — which includes president-elect, secretary and treasurer — will be presented at the meeting. The president-elect must have served on the Executive Board for at least two years to be nominated for this position. The Alumni Council will approve this recommendation to solidify the new Executive Board. 

A new election will then begin for the Alumni Council. This is the governing body for the Alumni Association that assists in various engagement events throughout the year. The Alumni Council is made up of a diverse group of individuals, including 15 elected Loyalty Fund members, the president of each Alumni Chapter and Ragin’ Cajun Club, appointed Loyalty Fund members, current Executive Board members, and all past presidents of the Executive Board. 

The election will follow a similar format to the Executive Board’s process and begins with a call on February 15 to all Loyalty Fund members for councilor nominations, including self-nominations. After the deadline for nominations, nominees for the elected positions will be contacted to ensure they meet all qualifications and are committed to serving a three-year term beginning on July 1, 2024, if elected. 

A slate of seven possible candidates will then be chosen and considered for the five available elected Alumni Council positions. Electronic ballots will be sent to all current Loyalty Fund members at the beginning of April. The election will officially end on April 30, and results will be verified by an independent party who is neither a member of the Alumni Council or the Executive Board. Before results are announced, the president-elect will recommend four appointed members to complete the Alumni Council. Results of the election and appointed members will be announced on May 15, and they’ll officially begin their term on the Alumni Council starting July 1.

The Alumni Association looks forward to welcoming new volunteers who will strengthen the organization and help fulfill its mission of keeping alumni connected to their alma mater. Learn more about the upcoming election cycle and other volunteer opportunities on the Alumni Association’s website. 

Photo Caption: Members of the Alumni Association Executive Board and Council take a photo following one of their bi-annual meetings. (Photo Credit: Maci Quebedeaux/UL Lafayette Alumni Association)