Options add up for alumni
E-mail, Rickel use offered

By Melissa Christensen
Staff Reporter

As graduating senior Jon Hilley checks his TCU box, he grumbles about the fliers he received from the Alumni Association promoting the purchase of senior bricks.

“They should send out information on alumni chapters instead of these ‘buy-a-brick’ letters,” Hilley, a finance and management major, said.

Director of Alumni Relations Kristi Hoban said in the past, graduating seniors have disregarded that information because they were bombarded with graduation information. She said a “Keep In Touch” brochure with information on how to be involved in the association is sent to graduates’ permanent addresses six months after graduation.

“We wait six months because people are little more settled in their lives then,” she said. “The most important thing for alumni to do is to let us know their current addresses.”

Hoban said there is no charge to be a member of the national alumni association or the 20 alumni chapters located across the United States. She also said Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth each have young alumni chapters specifically for those who graduated within the last 10 years.

“We love for young alumni to get involved,” Hoban said. “It’s a chance to immediately plug into a network of people.”

TCU officials said that although graduates’ ID cards are deactivated, they can still access some TCU facilities.

Hugh Macdonald, assistant university librarian for public service, said alumni are allowed admittance to the Mary Couts Burnett Library but do not have borrowing privileges. However, alumni can join Friends of the TCU Library for a $50 annual fee, which will allow them to borrow up to five items at one time.

“Alumni can gain admission at any time,” he said. “Even though they won’t work in the turnstiles, it helps to keep their ID cards.”

Dave Edmondson, assistant provost for information services, said alumni retain e-mail addresses and network log ons up to one semester after graduation. This allows alumni to use university computer labs.

“We’re looking at getting some permanent things for alumni, but we’re not there yet,” he said.

Director of Recreational Sports Steve Kintigh said alumni can purchase an annual individual membership at the Rickel Building for $200 or an annual family membership for $300. He said membership at the Rickel is much less expensive than fitness clubs in the community, but fees are expected to raise when renovations to the building are complete.

“We’ve only raised fees three times in 28 years, which puts us considerably below the market,” he said. “We’ll choose to be more competitive when the new building opens.”

Hoban said several online projects are in the works to ease alumni networking. The online alumni directory is expected to be in place by fall 2001 and within a year, a career and mentoring Web site should be in place, she said.

“We want alumni to keep in touch with friends and to meet new friends,” she said. “Alumni have something in common: They can share the pride.”

Hilley said he looks forward to receiving university updates on new buildings and programs, but hopes that the alumni association allows him to get settled before asking for contributions.

Melissa Christensen
m.s.christensen@student.tcu.edu