Don’t make it so distasteful for alumni by asking them to donate funds, too early in their career. They have just begun to earn and many have loans to return, many more would be without jobs.
It is near impossible to comprehend how NAAC puts all most, a complete emphasis on the money donations, unmindful of the years of standing of a university. How a university with 6 years of standing (two batches passed out), applying for the NAAC can be expected to receive more than 1 crore donation from its Alumni in the past 5 years to become entitled to scoring max marks mentioned in the metric 5.4.2. SSR of a General University? Isn’t it simply mind boggling ?
Further amplifying this, one UG batch passed out an year ago, the other, 2 months ago. So, you are expecting students of both these batches to donate within one year of their passing out, an amount worth 1 crore- a bizarre expectation ! NAAC doesn’t distinguish between a university of 6-year standing from the university of 26-year standing. If it was so, it ought to have specified a far lower benchmarked amount for a young university in the NAAC Manual or the DVV SOP.
Notwithstanding, what NAAC does and doesn’t do, there are a few areas, Institute must do to imbibe a deep sense of bonding and belonging which would ultimately inspire alumni to give back to their Alma Mater, much without asking, and when they are in good position to do. I recommend :
1. A young, dynamic, pulsating and social media savvy faculty to become a Dean/Deputy Dean Alumni.
2. Register Alumni Council under the Society’s Act.
3. Create an enabling portal and social media Alumni pages. There is lots and lots alumni can do to promote their Alma Mater through the social media.
4. Form various students-support specific Alumni Committees, led by the Alumni themselves and institute to provide due support in conducting meetings periodically, virtually and in the campus.
5. Identify areas of Alumni engagements and work out a perspective plan, mechanism for execution and follow up.
6. Open Alumni City Chapters and make these very productive for the Alma Mater and current students. Minutes of meetings be uploaded on the alumni portal.
7. Hold a 2-day meet (virtual till normalcy returns from Covid-19) and plan fun time, talent display, adventures, surveys on challenging issues, discussions, interaction with academic n’research leaders, master classes, brainstorming institute’s SWOC analysis, brainstorming sustainable students support, raising funds, jobs/entrepreneurial opportunities n’ advisory.
8. Seeking Alumni participation in various bodies and committees, such as BOS, IQAC, Research, Students Projects, Placement/Internship guidance etc.
9. Issuance of university monthly e-Newsletter with Alumni column.
10. Facilitating alumni with recognitions and honorary positions. Making distinguished and highly committed alumni as ‘Ambassadors’ in the chosen areas of Institute’s outreach.
11. Alumni Cell to maintain an updated record of alumni details, mobility and career progression on a sustained basis.
* Do away with the current practice of one dinner night alumni Meet with dance and drinks . Take it to the next fun-cum-productive level*
-Prof JR Sharma.