Alumni Constitution Authors Defend Themselves

The weblog of the Alumni Governance Task Force has answered two alumni questions about their proposed new Alumni Association constitution, to be discussed this weekend in Hanover.

In one of the posts, John Daukas ’84 attempts to dispell rumors that the task force is in cahoots with the administration:

The AGTF really has been operating independently of the College. We have had logistical support from the College, e.g. arranging our conference calls and meetings, but we have not been influenced by the trustees or administration. We really are an alumni committee that is pretty much willing to meet with, and has met with, alumni who have an interest in our efforts.

I’m sure that’s true. But that’s not exactly the complaint.

The charge most often made is that the task force is in cahoots with the Alumni Association and Council esablishment–and that they seek to maintain or even expand College influence over the alumni by diluting the leadership with administration allies. As Scott Glabe ’06 explained in the last TDR, the popularly-elected Alumni Association leadership would be replaced by an expanded and renamed Alumni Council–only half of whose membership would be elected.

Even if they’re not collaborating, the AGTF proposal as explained so far has at least the potential to be far more undemocratic than the current scheme. But the constitution’s defenders have yet to explain themselves, so this weekend’s discussions will be vitally important.