joshuca wrote:
I think part of the problem has a lot to do with marketing and promotions (which have increased the past couple of years). You also need to start pushing the AA while students are in early on in their undergraduate years. I'm pretty sure I didn't hear about the AA until it was about time for me to graduate.
The reason I am a member of the AA is pride. For some reason, a lot of students don't seem to have that same pride in their school. These students need a more tangible benefit for joining the AA (besides rental car and insurance discounts). I think the Bear Your Stripes campaign was great and generated a lot of buzz (hence the 3-year high). Continuing to do these types of campaigns is a great idea. Start'em young!
One thing that I have noticed where I currently work (Harding) is the great sense of loyalty among students and alumni to the university (which equals alumni returning the favor down the road). I know some of this loyalty has to do with religious affiliation, but I also believe that a lot of it has to do with the university immersing the students in the history and mission of the university from the start of their freshman year. The students feel a great sense of pride and become attached to the university like nowhere else I have ever seen. I think UCA would see some benefits from starting to develop a sense of pride (and not just in sports) from the time students set foot on campus.
Just some food for thought.
I agree with everything your saying Josh.
This is going to sound like sour grapes, but it is not. It is just fact.
I wonder just how serious the school is about memberships.
I was a member of the AA for a number of years. I was always more than proud to re-up my membership every year. I think this even goes back before the life time memberships that they added.
I made the mistake of forgetting to re-up my membership. Discovered it about four or five months after it expired.
I made several attempts to re-join. Called the office and left messages. Sent e-mails to the director and assistant director. No response. Heck, I even went by the office on one occasion to re-join, but was asked to come back later because the lady in the outer office couldn't take my money. At that time, I made a couple of attempts to re-join on line, but there was a problem with the website. Heck, I struck out everywhere I turned and just finally gave up.
Don't mind saying that I regret that I let the membership lapse, but that is ok...I have moved on.
Hope this new guy can get some things done.