James F. Byrnes Class of 1995 Reunion By-laws Feb 2015
How to form the Reunion Committee
The Reunion Chairperson is usually the Senior Class President, but that individual may delegate his or her authority to another individual, with the approval of the assembled class. This is usually to take place at a class event, such as a reunion or other alumni function. The event must have been advertised to the class, and the attendees constitute a viable quorum, despite the actual number present, as long as there are more than ten individuals in attendance.
The “Reunion Chairperson”, if so appointed, shall direct preparations for major class reunions, with accountability to the class alumni. Preparations for major class reunions may include, but would not be limited to: venue selection; event planning; public relations; advertising; and, security. The Reunion Chairperson may, recruit active, associate, honorary and related class members to have specific responsibilities for each class reunion.
The Reunion Chairperson is responsible for selecting other reunion sub-committee members. The usual practice is to ask for volunteers, and if more than one person volunteers, the Chairperson is to organize a poll for the class to vote on whom they would choose to fill each position. The Chairperson may select a deputy chairperson, but this is not mandatory. The candidate with the most votes wins. A statistically significant amount of individuals most vote in order for the poll to be valid. The surviving number of James F. Byrnes Alumni is estimated to be around 260 individuals. A statistically significant amount of votes is considered to be 60 or roughly 23%. *One very important authority the Chairperson carries is “override” power. The Chairperson may overrule any decision of another sub-committee chair. This authority is meant to help break through deadlocks or be a tie breaker on voting issues- if needed. This authority can be exercised at any time, but is meant to be used very rarely.
The Reunion Chairperson may design the sub-committee structure as he or she sees fit. However, the general make-up of the sub-committees is suggest as follows:
1) Decorations/Entertainment
2) Food/Beverages
3) Contact List Manager/Mail Team
4) Treasurer
Other Reunion Chairperson responsibilities are as follows:
1. Write class reunion letters/communications
2. Oversee and inspect everything. Know what is happening with the sub-committees and keep things on course. Stay in touch with sub-committee chairs, organize regular meetings (or conference calls) and pick‐up the slack when necessary. If there is a reunion co-chair structure establish a reporting structure that has certain committee chairs reporting to each reunion co‐chair. The co‐chairs will then share information about the entire committee.
3. Track reunion execution. Keep notes on the experience: important decisions and their
consequences, things that worked and others that might be done differently
The sub-committees responsibilities are in Attachment 1: James F. Byrnes Class Reunion Guide.
Reunion Committee Rules of Conduct
1. The Reunion Committee shall endeavor to locate all classmates and to invite every located member of the Class to all reunion activities and encourage them to attend. Invitations and encouragements from the Committee and/or its members should be issued to all located classmates equally, though subsequent invitations and encouragements after the initial ones need not be issued to invitees who commit to attend the Reunion prior to the issuance of any such subsequent invitations and encouragements.
2. The Reunion Committee, if it collects fees or donations of money for the reunion, shall make a strict accounting of all funds received and spent, such accounting to be made available to all Committee members on a regular basis, monthly or at each Committee meeting during the reunion planning process. A final accounting shall be made available within 30 days of the end of each reunion to each Committee member. The Committee shall serve notice to all members of the Class with whom it is in contact that such accountings will be made available for inspection and all such accountings shall then be made available to any Class member who requests it. The accountings may be published publicly, if desired. Any such accounting made available outside the Reunion Committee can exclude the individual names of those paying fees or making donations if the Committee deems it appropriate to exclude those names. The name of any individual, company, or other entity to which the Committee makes a payment from reunion funds shall not be excluded from such accounting reports.
3. The Reunion Committee will take care to preserve all funds received for reunions so that they are available and are only used for purposes approved by the Reunion Committee to advance the cause of the Reunion. Any funds remaining after a reunion shall either be returned to those who donated funds or paid fees in proportion to their fees and/or donations; or the funds shall be preserved for use at the next reunion of the Class. It is strongly recommended that all funds be deposited in an established United States banking institution both during the fee/donation collection season, the reunion, and between reunions, and that all payments be made by check drawn on that banking institution.
4. All voting members of a Reunion Committee shall be members of the Class, with each member of the Committee having one vote on each matter being decided. Decisions of the Reunion Committee shall be by vote of all Committee members in attendance. A Committee may adopt, by majority vote, rules for adoption of other matters before the Committee (i.e., do all issues decided require only a simple majority vote or do some require a larger majority; is a quorum required for binding votes and if so what is defined as a quorum). All expenditures must be approved in advance by the Committee.
5. The members of the Reunion Committee shall act as trustees, entrusted to organize the reunion consistent with the welfare of the Class and its members and to act conservatively in financial matters. The Committee shall make decisions which benefit the Class as a whole in regards to the organization and conduct of the reunion and shall to do so at the lowest cost to the reunion.
The Committee should bear in mind it is likely that not every member of a graduating class may have the economic wherewithal of some in the Class and all reunion activities should be designed to provide access to all classmates who wish to attend to the extent possible while maintaining the criteria for the Reunion established by the Committee. The Committee is encouraged to adopt the philosophy that reunions are not primarily about the place, the food, the entertainment, or the party, but about the people who constitute the Class.
6. The Reunion Committee shall make its best effort to balance expected revenues from fees and/or donations and expenditures, and the fees/donation amounts requested be appropriate to expenditure forecasts. A Reunion Committee may provide a budget (a financial plan developed in advance) for received funds to exceed the estimated cost of the forthcoming reunion by no greater than 10% for which fees/donations are anticipated/accepted if such overage is preserved and applied to the next reunion of that Class or returned to the individuals paying the fees or making the donations in proportion to their monetary contribution. There is no penalty or action to be taken if the proceeds exceed the 10% above budget figure, however that the proceeds did exceed the 10% limit shall be specifically noted in the accountings made available to Committee and Class members. The excess funds shall be handled as described in this Code.
7. The Committee shall not spend any fees/donations received for its own benefit or the personal benefit of its members; no such fees/donations shall be utilized for Committee meeting locations, food or refreshments for Committee members or anyone else except as provided for all Class members at the Class Reunion itself.
8. The Reunion Committee may vote to invite guests of the Class to attend the reunion without requiring such guests to pay a fee or donation, i.e., inviting members of the faculty who served during the tenure of the Class at the school.
9. All Class members attending a reunion by paying a fee or making a donation accepted by the Reunion Committee shall be afforded equal benefits of the Reunion. The Reunion Committee may, however, designate certain memorabilia items, whether authentic or reproduced, as separately purchasable items that are not included in the attendance fee/donation. The Reunion Committee may also divide events of the Reunion and likewise divide the donation or fees so that separate donations or fees provide for the attendance at individual events of the reunion. Such division of events and donations or fees shall be done only for the purpose of allowing individuals to reduce their cost of attending the reunion by participating only in selected events. In all such cases where the events are divided, all Class members with which the Reunion Committee is in contact shall be invited and equally afforded the opportunity to attend.
10. No Reunion Committee member may vote on any matter before the Committee from which he/she, her/his business, or their family benefits monetarily. Any such Committee member with this conflict shall make it known to the Committee prior to any vote on such matter and recuse himself/herself from the vote.
Attachment 1: James F. Byrnes Class Reunion Guide
2 Feb 2015
1.Purpose
2.Reunion Committee
3.Reunion Date and Venue
4.Invitations
5.Reunion Program
6.Finances
1. Purpose
This Guide has been prepared to assist class reunion committees in organizing successful class reunions. Class reunions can provide an opportunity to strengthen friendships and to reacquaint class members, as well as provide ongoing support and goodwill for high school. The information contained in the Guide has been generated from the collective experience of various reunion committees and is by no means exhaustive. It is hoped that these materials will save future class reunion committees some time and provide help in organizing reunions that will be memorable and worthwhile for the school’s alumni.
2. Reunion Committee
A. Selection of Committee Members
The success of any reunion will rest, in large measure, with the committee that organizes the reunion. In the past, class officers or student body officers have often shouldered the responsibility to head reunion efforts; however, in other cases the effort has been spearheaded by other interested members of the class.
It is important to select committee members who reflect all of the diverse types of personalities who made up your high school class. A committee with that kind of diversity will be better able to make meaningful, personal contacts with the class as a whole, which will contribute in large measure to the success of the reunion. Involving a diverse group of people will also provide a cross section of ideas and assure that the reunion will appeal to all, rather than just a few. Selection of committee members needs to be made well in advance of any proposed reunion — seven to eight months in advance of the date is a good target.
B. Meetings
Usually a number of meetings will be needed in order to organize the reunion. The initial meetings are typically devoted to gathering the collective thinking of the committee in selecting the venue and format for the reunion, and making initial assignments to committee members. Later meetings will be necessary to follow up on assignments and monitor the committee’s progress. Some committees have found that once the initial plans have been made, much of the later committee work and communication can be accomplished by group e-mails.
C. Assignments
Committee assignments may include, but are not limited to, facilities reservations, caterer orders, beverage procurement, reunion invitations, various aspects of the reunion program and activities, and reunion finances.
3. Reunion Date and Venue
A. Making the Reservation
The threshold decision for any class reunion is the date and location. The date may have a major impact on class member attendance. An attractive location for the reunion should increase attendance and appeal to class members. It is advisable to reserve the reunion location well in advance.
B. Considerations
Selecting a venue requires the Committee to make a number of judgments – many of which involve considering the “personality” of the class.
In most instances a readily accessible reunion site will win over a more remote site. Locations requiring long drives will discourage attendance; however, some classes may value the exotic over the convenient.
While it will be difficult to estimate the number of classmates who will attend, the Committee should attempt that estimate before selecting a venue. The number of attendees will affect your venue choice both in terms of the size and cost of the facility you select. The committee needs to make a judgment as to whether the venue is large enough, or is too large, for the number of attendees and whether there will be enough attendees to cover the fixed costs associated with a particular venue. In estimating probable attendance, the Committee should consider both the size and personality of the class. You may find it helpful to review the class list in this process.
Once a venue has been selected, you must have a clear understanding of what the venue will provide and what the committee must arrange for separately. For example, does the facility provide its own caterer, soft drinks, liquor, ice, bar tender, servers, and sound system?
The cost of the venue requires the Committee to consider how cost conscious the class might be. The competing considerations are: offering a nice event that people will want to attend and not excluding people by making the event too expensive.
Venues to consider:
•Country Clubs
•Private Homes (for smaller classes)
•Downtown Hotels
•Reception Halls
Fall is the traditional time for reunions; however, some reunion committees have found that out-of-state attendees prefer to coordinate reunion attendance with summer vacations to visit family and friends in their home area.
4. Invitations
Committee members can use a written invitation, phone calls, and e-mails from committee members to extend personal invitations. Substantial efforts made to extend sincere, personal invitations will do more to ensure the success of the reunion than any other single effort. Committee members have also found that making personal contact, and catching up with old friends, is one of the most enjoyable aspects of their committee duties. These calls also help to connect even those alumni who do not attend the reunion with their alma mater and their classmates.
A. Initial Class List and Updates
Notwithstanding those efforts, we have found that the lists contain a number of incorrect and outdated addresses. Accordingly, the invitation process should be designed to identify the problems with the lists. The committee should consider some or all of the following processes:
•An initial review by the members to identify old addresses
•Early mailing of a First Notice of the Reunion, which if the address is outdated will often result in a return of the notice, highlighting the need for additional follow-up to identify the correct address (be sure the notice has a return address)
•Calls to friends of the classmate to obtain correct addresses
•Internet address and phone number searches
•Checking with the high school staff on further ideas on how to locate missing classmate.
Please provide any new address and telephone information obtained in this process to the high school so they can update their records for future reference.
B. First Notice
The initial reunion notice needs to be given far enough in advance that people can plan their schedules, vacations, travel, etc. in order to attend the reunion. As noted above, an early mailing may also help alert the Committee to outdated addresses and the need for additional efforts to contact some of their classmates. It is suggested that if a reunion is planned for August that a first notice be given in March or April of the reunion year. The first notice should announce the date and location of the reunion to allow planning.
C. The Invitation
The invitation should include an rsvp card and a return envelope. You may also consider including a contact telephone number where the class member can make additional inquiries regarding the reunion plans.
Consider listing the Reunion Committee member’s names on the invitation. This helps to personalize the event.
D. Personal Invitations
In addition to written reunion notices, each class member should be contacted personally by a member of the committee. Personal contacting may help to overcome feelings of reluctance or indifference that some may have with regard to attending a reunion. A personal contact also provides an opportunity for committee members to make connections with class members and to express interest in them as friends.
It is normally most effective for committee members doing the contacting to be friends or at least acquainted with the classmate who is being contacted.
It is appropriate to call and/or write class members at home or at their business. In the case of deceased classmates, the committee may wish to consider inviting the surviving spouse to the reunion.
E. Class Faculty
It is appropriate to invite the current Dean of the high school to participate in the reunion. Most classes have also found it enjoyable to invite the members of the school faculty who were teaching during their years in high school.
F. Suggested Attire
In order to avoid confusion and discomfort on the part of those attending the reunion, invitations should include a dress suggestion.
5. Reunion Program
Each reunion committee will have many ideas as to what the reunion program should be. The following are offered for your consideration as you plan your reunion program.
A. Name Tags
Name tags are a must.
B. Student Leader Remarks
We believe it is appropriate and recommend that you invite the class leaders to offer remarks during your reunion program.
C. Limited Program
Alumni come to Reunions to catch up with old friends. Whatever program is planned should not interfere with that primary purpose. Make sure there is plenty of time for conversation. Many classes have found that the most enjoyable approach to a reunion is to think of it as simply a party among old friends.
D. Speaker(s)
Care should be taken in determining whether or not to have a speaker on the reunion program. Lengthy speeches may be counterproductive. On the other hand, a good speaker (classmate or otherwise) may stimulate the group. The reunion committee should clearly communicate the parameters for the speech.
E. Class Member Comments
A highlight of many reunion programs has been allowing class members the opportunity to stand and express themselves for two or three minutes each.
F. Music and Other Entertainment
Some reunion programs have featured a band or other form of musical entertainment. In some instances this has not worked well. A loud raucous band may reduce the opportunity for class members to interact and to visit with one another.
G. Dinner
One activity conducted in conjunction with class reunions is a dinner. In most instances the dinner is held in conjunction with the reunion program.
H. Reception
A very common activity planned for class reunions is a cocktail reception. This can be done in conjunction with a reunion dinner or as the reunion activity.
I. Golf Tournament
Some reunion committees have elected to hold a golf tournament in conjunction with the reunion. Note: A golf tournament is an ambitious endeavor.
J. Dances
Dances have been held at some reunions with mixed results. The reunion committee should evaluate this carefully in determining what kind of a reunion they wish to achieve.
K. Videos
A reunion committee may wish to arrange for a committee member or other person to videotape some of the reception. Other ideas may include people who have videos of high school days to submit such material so that they can be shown in conjunction with the reunion program.
L. Photographs
Committee members and/or class members may have photographs from high school parties or events to contribute to a display. Arrangements can also be made with the high school to have the class picture hanging in the high school available for the evening. Photographic displays have proven to be entertaining conversation starters and helpful in remembering who folks are.
M. Questionnaires
You may want to include a short questionnaire with the invitation, asking about careers, family and interests. The questionnaire can also ask each classmate to share memories from high school and thoughts about his or her career. The responses can then be photocopied and distributed at the reunion and even mailed to those who were unable to attend.
N. In Memoriam
You may wish to consider recognizing deceased members of the class by mentioning their name and observing a moment of silence in their memory during your reunion. Some class reunion committees have been able to obtain obituaries or other brief summaries concerning the deceased individual and have read them during the reunion program. Such a remembrance can be a special part of a reunion program.
6. Finances
At the present time there is no independent source of funds available to pay for class reunions. Accordingly, the cost of the reunion must be borne by the class members who attend. The following suggestions are offered and to ensure the financial viability of the reunion.
A. Cost Per Person
One advantage of determining the location of the reunion at the outset is that the reunion committee can obtain firm commitments as to rental costs, food costs, etc. Class members’ financial situations vary, and simple economics need to be considered by the reunion committee in determining the location and extent of the reunion. Prices can vary substantially for food and venue rental costs. In determining where the reunion is to be held, the reunion committee must decide what the cost per person ought to be and plan accordingly.
B. Collecting in Advance
It will be to the benefit of the reunion committee, where possible, to collect in advance. Response card or sheets should include instructions on how to pay. Encourage attending class members to send payments early. Funds collected need to be accounted for and held in trust pending the event. Under present guidelines, the law school is not able to collect and hold funds. This will be the responsibility of the reunion committee.
C. Deposits
In many cases, the reunion venue will require a deposit to be made. When selecting a venue, the committee member should clarify what, if any, deposits are required and seek to minimize deposit required in order to reserve the facility. Final counts for food normally do not have to be made until two or three days before the reunion.
D. Accounting
The reunion committee should maintain a written record of funds received, from whom, dates, amounts, etc. This will avoid confusion and keep the finances in order.
E. Contingencies
Notwithstanding the best plans of any reunion committee, there will probably be one or more matters that will pop up at the last minute that may require some funding. An unanticipated sales tax, problems with a check or a host of other possibilities. In such instances, the reunion committee might find itself short in paying the final tab. In such instances some reunion committee members have chipped in to take care of such contingencies. In other instances, a particularly prosperous class member has stepped forward to take care of the shortfall. The chairperson of the reunion committee may be in the best position to keep track of these matters and to ensure that no cost overruns are incurred.
Here is a checklist of sorts to condense the above information:
What work items does the reunion committee need to consider?
Consider dividing the work activities of your reunion committee into subcommittees or work groups.
Here is a listing of some of the tasks you will need to consider:
date selection
determine event venue and format
event program (speakers, tributes, etc)
event location / lodging selection
financing
classmate contact listing
postal addresses, email addresses, phone numbers
search for missing classmates
web site development / maintenance
decorations
entertainment
photographer
registration & name tags
momentos
reunion / memories booklet
novelties
prizes / awards
marketing & communications
mailers, emailings
newspaper and internet advertising
deceased classmates tribute
additional reunion activities
school tours, pre & post reunion events
class gift to your school
What are some of the upfront expenses we might incur?
Here is a listing of some expenses you might incur along the way. One thing to consider to avoid these expenses is to use a professional reunion planning service. Many of these services will handle all your upfront costs for you.
Stationary supplies
Postage
Printing (reunion booklets, name tags)
Gifts / novelties
Decorations
Web site development & hosting
Liability insurance
Reunion facilities deposit
Entertainment deposit
Deposits for additional activities (tours, etc)
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