The ALSA Alumni Project

1. The ALSA Alumni Project Matthew Littlejohn Immediate Past President September Council 2012 Brisbane

2. ALSA Alumni FAQ • Q: Why Alumni? • A: We see alumni as an untapped resource that we can provide to members. By integrating alumni through events and publications we can grow networks and build knowledge. • Q: Which Alumni? • A: Past ALSA Conference attendees and councilors, mainly, however, anyone will be able to join the ALSA Alumni network. • Q: What benefits will they get from it? • A: Apart from re-living the best parts of Conference, ALSA Alumni will be able to take advantage of unique network-building activities and be part of a national alumni network. • Q: How will it work? • The Alumni program is broken into two divisions: • - The ALSA Alumni Database • - The ALSA Alumni Scholarship Fund

3. The ALSA Alumni Database • The database will need to contain the following features: • Profile information: Name, email, employment information, year graduated, university, ALSA involvement, and Alumni activity interests (see below) • An email mailing list: to send out information, updates, advertisements, etc. • Alumni will be able to have the option of having their contact information made available to LSS’s (e.g. if they’re interested in judging competitions, writing for publications, etc.) • Recruitment to the database will be via Council, Conference, and material provided to LSS’s to pass on to their graduating members.

4. The ALSA Alumni Scholarship Fund • This will be an account, held by ALSA, which pays an annual scholarship of up to $500 to Australian law students, across a number of different categories. These categories may include equitable considerations, competitions excellence, contribution to the law student community, or any other criteria. • There will be two Scholarship streams: • Stream A, which will be the annual scholarships given out at a set amount to a criteria; • Stream B, which will be Alumni-sponsored scholarships that will run for a determined length of time for a determined amount, at a criteria designated in conjunction with the sponsoring Alumni.

5. Scholarship Criteria Criteria should be in the form of a Constitutional amendment, rather than a by-law, as the criteria should not be able to be altered without majority approval by Council, as the Scholarship Fund is for students nationally. To launch the Program, we propose the following Scholarships, with respective criteria:

6. The ALSA Equity Scholarship • Value: $150 x 3 • Criteria: • Student enrolled in an LLB or JD program at an ALSA-Affiliated university • Demonstrated Equity Issue affecting ability to study (including, but not limited to, gender, rural/regional location, extraordinary family commitments, sexuality, ethnicity, poverty, disability, or any other issue.) • Supporting Documentation: Up to 1 page written application outlining Equitable Issue and affect on study, any other documents that support application.

7. The ALSA Competitors Scholarship • Value: $100 x 3 • Criteria: • Student enrolled in an LLB or JD program at an ALSA-affiliated university • Demonstrated success in Legal Skills Competitions (demonstrated success means competing at a State or National Championship, and/or winning an internal LSS Championship, as well as participating in external competitions OR mentoring other students in internal Competitions) • Supporting Documentation: Evidence of entry/success in the above mentioned programs (letter from LSS President sufficient for internal comps).

8. The ALSA Community Involvement Scholarship • Value: $150 x 2 • Criteria: • Student enrolled in an LLB or JD program at an ALSA-affiliated university • Demonstrated commitment to serving and improving their local community, with an emphasis on Australian programs, as well as programs operating on a local scale in regional areas. • Supporting Documentation: Letter from their community organisation outlining involvement, 1-page application.

9. Financing the ALSA Alumni Program We propose that Stream A be funded by general donations by Alumni, who want to contribute to the Scholarship scheme but aren’t interested in a Stream B scholarship. Alumni who have contributed to Stream A can be followed up in the manner Corporate Sponsors are, and can be re-contacted each year by the ASO to check if they would like to contribute again to Stream A, or create a Stream B scholarship. If we have 10 Alumni contributing $100 each year, then Stream A can run with the above amounts. Of course, ideally we would have more Alumni, with some contributing larger amounts Questions?

10. Administering the ALSA Alumni Program • We propose the creation of an Alumni & Scholarships Officer (ASO), to sit on the ALSA Committee. The ASO would report to the VPF&M and the President. The position description for this Officer would be: • Alumni & Sponsorship Officer • Maintain the Alumni Database in conjunction with the IT Officer; • Actively seek out Alumni to grow the Database; • Promote membership of the ALSA Alumni program; • Oversee applications for Stream A & B Scholarships; • Maintain criteria for Stream A Scholarships; • Facilitate creation of Stream B Scholarships, in conjunction with ALSA Alumni; • In conjunction with the Immediate Past President and the VP Finance & Marketing in particular, administer the Scholarship Fund to successful applicants. • The IPP and ASO would work within the criteria to determine applications for Stream A Scholarships, in the manner that the Equity Fund is currently administered to Council Members. Stream B Scholarships will be awarded after the Sponsoring Alumni, the ASO, and the IPP review applications. Questions?

11. Next Steps • Approval of Criteria by Council; • Constitutional Amendments passed in April to create Alumni & Scholarship Officer position; • Promotional material designed & distributed; • Database created; • Recruitment of Conference attendees to Database (tie-in with the Alumni Pass/student judges/etc?). Questions?