Table of Contents

Roles and Responsibilities

Responsibilities that fall under the category of “program” include helping to create overall messaging or common theme, planning class events and informal social time, making the class lounge feel welcoming, coordinating your class’s Alumni Association Award nominations, and recruiting a classmate to light a candle in memory of classmates on Sunday morning.

There are a few specific roles that committee members can play, and you’ll assign these at CAVE (Carleton Alumni Volunteer Event- the Reunion Planning Workshop) in August.

  • Event Coordinators: Committee members who will help plan and carry out 1-2 class events during Reunion.
  • Class Social Time Coordinators: Committee members who will help organize informal social time in the class lounge each evening. This could include organizing extra refreshments or informal activities like group discussions or music.
  • Class Lounge Coordinators: Committee members who will work with student class hosts on Thursday to make sure that the class lounge feels welcoming. Classmates might want to bring memorabilia or special decorations.  
  • Nominations Coordinators: Committee members who will help organize classmates who are submitting nominations for Alumni Association Awards and the ‘C’ Club Hall of Fame

Your Reunion Experience

Based on years of feedback from alumni, the best Reunion experience includes the following:

  • A class schedule with a good balance of programmed activities, and free time to reconnect with classmates and explore the campus.
  • Informal time for socializing when everyone in the class knows that they’ll be in the same place at the same time. Generally, this happens after dinner in the class lounge.
  • One or two programs highlighting class members and/or a topic of general interest – classmates as individual speakers, as panel participants, or performers.
  • Family-friendly options, especially for the 10th, 15th, 20th, and 25th reunion classes.
  • Brief remarks at each class dinner, recognizing class volunteers and highlighting upcoming events and other information the committee wants to share with attendees.

As you are discussing ideas for class events, consider the following questions:

  • Do the ideas reflect the broader interests and makeup of the class?
  • Are there specific groups who have not come back in the past? If so, is there a way to engage them by involving them in the program?
  • Are we balancing social and intellectual content?
  • Do we have a balance of scheduled time and free time? In addition to class-specific programs, there are many all-class activities planned by the Office of Alumni Relations.

The Reunion Schedule

There are a number of Reunion events that are set in advance and cannot be rescheduled, including events that must be coordinated among many classes (e.g., class photos and meals). 

Because of the large number of events held during Reunion, the Office of Alumni Relations assumes primary responsibility for the overall schedule of events, including class-specific events. As you are planning class events, focus on the content of the event rather than what day and time it will happen. Staff members take a holistic approach to the Reunion schedule — reviewing class-specific event time and location requests, the Alumni College schedule, class photo schedules, and all-class events — to ensure the opportunity for attendees to participate in as many events as possible.

Class Event Guidelines

You will be planning a limited number of events specifically for your classmates during Reunion. These events can range from a game of Ultimate to a class panel on a timely topic; from a presentation or performance by a classmate who is a renowned professor, politician, musician, athlete, artist, magician, or dancer to an early morning yoga class. Each year during Reunion, the Office of Alumni Relations oversees nearly 300 events planned in conjunction with reunion committees, faculty, and other offices throughout campus.

To ensure the most efficient use of College resources and staff time, we ask reunion committees to adhere to the below guidelines.

Role of Program Committee in Planning Class Events

  • All class programs must be coordinated through the committee planning process, which begins during CAVE weekend and continues throughout the fall and early winter.
  • The program planning committee is expected to solicit event ideas broadly among members of the class.
  • Members of the class are expected to share ideas with the committee, which is ultimately responsible for creating a Reunion schedule that is balanced and reflective of the best practices identified here.
  • Program committee members work closely with alumni relations staff to plan class-specific Reunion events; class volunteers are assigned to, and are ultimately responsible for, the success of each Reunion class event.

Class Events

  • Program committee members are asked to suggest ideas and provide input into several Reunion all-class events, including Alumni College, the Alumni Book Signing, the Arboretum Service Project, and campus tours.
  • Program committee members are also responsible for shaping the dinner program each evening of Reunion.
  • Class Social Time Coordinators are responsible for coordinating informal class activities in the lounge, as desired, each evening.

Funding Events

  • The College provides resources to support class receptions and dinners, all-class programs, and up to one to two class-specific programs per class.
    • While there is no set budget per class, alumni relations staff will work with reunion committees to assess the feasibility of events based on the budget and staff time required for proposed events.
    • Please note that some events with more significant costs may require committees to make choices. Each class’ staff liaison will help guide this evaluative process.
  • Reunion has traditionally highlighted the talents of Carleton faculty, students, and alumni; we do not have funds available for non-Carleton speakers or performers for class events.
  • If you have classmates who are interested in performing for your class, they are welcome to volunteer their time and talent; we do not have funds available for performances outside of the all-class evening entertainment.

Faculty, Staff, and Student Involvement

  • Alumni College is Carleton’s “back to the classroom” program, and will be the main venue for presentations by faculty, staff, alumni, and students during Reunion. Due to busy summer schedules is it often difficult to find faculty members or current students who are available to participate in class-specific programs.
  • If you would like to recommend a topic or speaker for Alumni College, please contact the Office of Alumni Relations before the end of September.

Deadlines

  • All class events need to be finalized by January 31 in order to be included in the preliminary online schedule, included with the early March registration information. This includes the event title, brief description, name of event coordinator, names of event participants, and preliminary technical and space requirements and requested supplies (e.g., handouts, markers, etc.).
  • After March, staff are not able to make significant changes to class events or add any new class events to the Reunion schedule.
  • By May 1, please confirm any materials or technical needs for your class events with your staff liaison.

Planning Your Class Events

Your committee will continue to work with your staff liaison throughout the fall to further refine the details of your class programming. Your staff liaison will walk you through the various aspects of each event, including the following:

  • Event Coordinator: It is essential to assign at least one committee member to be the overall coordinator for each class event. Events without a committed coordinator tend to lose momentum following CAVE.
  • Preliminary Title and Description: While this can continue to be updated and refined through January 31, jotting down a working title and event description is helpful in focusing on the content and goal of each event.
  • Presenters/Emcees/Discussion Leaders: Participant recruitment is key to the success of panels and presentations.
    • In addition to the names of potential participants, be sure to identify and assign a committee member to do the recruiting, and also specify the order of preference (if needed) in reaching out to potential participants.
    • Set an early deadline for making contact so that you’ll have time to regroup with the committee if classmates are unavailable.
    • As you confirm presenters or panelists, collect their titles and obtain a brief bio to include in the online event description.
  • Suggested Day/Time and Length of Event: Alumni relations staff will schedule each of your class events, but if you have specific recommendations (such as a bird walk early on Saturday morning), please share that information. While most reunion events average an hour in length, event length can be determined on a case-by-case basis.
  • Campus Venues: As you plan your class events, think about the type of space you’d like to have for each event.
    • For example, do you imagine your class panel to be a formal presentation in a large lecture hall or an informal group discussion in a classroom? Will you have audiovisual needs? You can indicate your preference for a type of venue to your staff liaison.
    • One of Carleton’s strengths is its small class sizes. However, this means that there are few venues on campus that can accommodate large numbers of attendees. As part of setting the overall Reunion schedule, including your class events, alumni relations staff will assign locations for each event. Staff members appreciate volunteers remaining flexible as they work to balance the needs for 15 reunion classes and more than 2,500 attendees.
  • Requests for Materials, Supplies, or AV/Technology: It is especially helpful to know if your event will have any technology or audiovisual needs from the beginning so that an appropriate venue can be assigned. You will continue to work with your staff liaison through the spring to finalize materials or other supplies needed.
  • Open to Other Reunion Classes?: You may want to invite other classes to join certain events, such as athletic games or panels of broad interest. If you do open it up to other classes, it will be listed as “hosted by the Class of ‘XX” in the final schedule for Reunion.

Alumni Association Awards

During Reunion, Carleton’s Alumni Association recognizes alumni with the following awards:

  • Distinguished Achievement Awards: Honors outstanding achievement by Carleton College alumni within a particular field or fields, including community service.
  • Exceptional Service Awards: Presented to Carleton alumni and friends for exceptional service that has contributed substantially to the well-being of the College.
  • In the Spirit of Carleton Award: Presented to alumni in the most recent 15 classes who have made a significant contribution to civic or professional organizations, who demonstrates the attributes of Carleton’s liberal arts education, and who has exhibited creativity, purposefulness, and a commitment to quality and improving their community.

There is an archive of past award recipients online. Because the best source of nominations for these awards is fellow classmates, each Reunion class should assign a nominations coordinator to identify and facilitate the awards process.

Nominations are due by November 15, and should include a cover letter summarizing the candidate’s qualifications, letters of support from peers or community members, letters from Carleton staff or faculty (for exceptional service), and a resume or c.v. when possible. Supporting information documenting that a nominee’s accomplishments are a sustained activity, carried out over time, is helpful. Please note that the nominations process is confidential, and that not all nominees will receive awards (about half of nominees receive the award each year). The Alumni Council is responsible for selecting and notifying recipients, who are recognized for their achievements during Reunion Convocation.

‘C’ Club Hall of Fame

The ‘C’ Club Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding varsity athletes, coaches, and supporters. New members are inducted into the ‘C’ Club Hall of Fame each year and are recognized at the ‘C’ Club Luncheon at Reunion.

The ‘C’ Club Board sends a call for nominations early each Fall, and nominations are due by November 15.

Nominations should include a cover letter summarizing the candidate’s qualifications and letters from Carleton teammates and/or coaches (when possible). Please note that the nominations process is confidential and that not all nominees will be inducted. The ‘C’ Club Board of Directors is responsible for selecting and notifying recipients, who are recognized for their achievements during the ‘C’ Club Luncheon at Reunion.