Promises Fulfilled
Campaign promises are central to representation and accountability. How often have you seen candidates run on issues and platforms that turn into empty promises, unfulfilled results? Not Trustee Hill. In 2021, my campaign was built on the word TRUST, to be more specific TRUST "E"! I promised if elected, that you could count on me to be a representative for alumni, using my voice "in the room where it happens." What follows in this section outlines many of the actions and accomplishments resulting from the promises fulfilled as a Trustee from 2021 to the present.
Please see below and in the Blog section for Trustee Reports to the CAU Board and Officer Reports to CAUAA. Transparency, Representation, and Results... Promises Fulfilled.
Photos of Trustees and CAU employees are NOT endorsements. However, you should feel free to contact any of them about my performance as a Trustee, especially our alumni Trustees.
Results
Endowment Policy
Trustee Hill received several requests from alumni for assistance with establishing scholarship endowments at minimum levels of $50K or less. However, according to our published policy, $100K was the minimum required to fund a scholarship endowment.
Trustee Hill met with the VP of Institutional Advancement to express concern that we need to "meet our alumni where they are," and "always make it easy for people to give you money." Data supported the observation that we simply didn't have a run of alumni trying to start $100K endowments. Trustee Hill also noted that while the University was in the midst of kicking off a Capital Campaign, we had an opportunity to propose an alternative solution that would increase the number of endowments, educate alumni about the benefits of endowments, and increase the percentage of individual donors.
She collaborated with a fellow Trustee and submitted a proposal to the Institutional Advancement Committee (on which she serves) that the endowment policy be revised. This resolution would grant authority to the President and/or VP of IAUR to be flexible - at their discretion - to approve scholarship endowments at levels below those required in our policy.
The resolution unanimously passed the full Board in February 2022.
Campus Security
Sept 2019, prior to Trustee Hill's election, Alumnus Rob LeGrande saw a national news story about a shooting that happened at his alma mater and called then, Alumna Hill. He decided that he wanted to do more to give, and would use what he does professionally to help. Rob is the CEO of his company, Total Digital Decision (TDD).
Alumna Hill reached out to the President of CAU. All the necessary players and stakeholders were gathered, which included our Chief of Police, members of our operations and IT teams, student stakeholders, faculty & staff, and Alumna Hill, for the design phase. The work continued into Trustee Hill's initial term of service and she was proud to announce to the Board of Trustees the completion of Phase 1 of this project in Feb 2022. As a result, CAU is the recipient of a gift valued at $250,000. This gift included equipment that would allow us to do what's necessary to enhance investigations and resolve safety incidents. This type of gift definitely qualifies as supporting the Technology and Infrastructure pillar of our Capital Campaign and her work on this exemplifies the confidence you can have in her for understanding the work needed to establish important relationships to enhance donor loyalty.
UPDATE: On April 21, 2023, Trustee Hill learned that gift has been enhanced. The gift is now valued at $500,000!
Traditions Restored
During the Feb 2022 Institutional Advancement Committee Meeting (she serves on this Committee), Trustee Hill expressed to the members of the Administration present, "on behalf of the Alumni," that there is a concern about our traditions not being honored and maintained. Specifically, Alumni want to know why our commencement ceremonies and May Weekend Reunion activities were moved from the schedule that we have recognized for 51 years.
As a result of this inquiry and her insistence that the reasons given were not acceptable, a survey was offered to the graduates that resulted in Commencement being moved back to the Panther Stadium.
During the February 2023 Board of Trustees Meeting, Trustee Hill included advocacy for Baccalaureate to go back to Sunday and Graduation to the third Monday in May, in her report to the Trustees. She has also personally followed-up with the President and appealed to him to help alumni with this request. Graduate and audience participation to Baccalaureate was diminished because most families are traveling to Atlanta in preparation for Commencement on Saturday. The hooding ceremonies can go back to Friday and Sunday. CAUAA is impacted because it impacts our ability to meet some governance requirements related to May Weekend. Our business meeting is all on Friday. The Memorial Service and other Reunion activities, including the Reunion Banquet were held on Saturday.
Alumni Representative Report to Board of Trustees
February 2023
This report highlights Trustee Hill's advocacy to move our May Weekend and Commencement activities back to the schedule we've honored for the last 51 years; the importance of the University being responsive when alumni with Internship opportunities for our students try to engage, and the benefits for all.
Advocacy for Alumni Concerned About CAU Athletics - November 2021 (Sound)
A letter was written to President French by Alumnus Raymond "Tweet" Williams that was also signed by 111 former athletes and alumni supporters of athletics. They wanted an audience with the President to ask what his plans for our athletics programs was, discuss their concerns, and propose solutions. Trustee Hill coordinated and facilitated the requested meeting with the President, which was held in late November 2021. This is the presentation.
Alumni Representative Report to Board of Trustees
February 2022 (Sound)
Trustee Hill's report to the CAU Board of Trustees that highlighted the Endowment Resolution she worked on that passed; the meeting she coordinated and facilitated between the President and alumni concerned about athletics; and a Campus Safety Equipment Donation valued at over $250K that she helped introduce to the University.
Listen as she takes you "in the room where it happens" and reads the script she prepared to give this report to the Trustees.
Alumni Representative Report to CAUAA
Fall Conference - December 2022
Trustee Hill's report to the National Body of CAUAA, to report on her activities and actions for first half of fiscal year.
Alumni Representative Report to CAUAA
Fall Conference (December 2021)
Trustee Hill's first report to the CAUAA National Body. Many alumni expressed their appreciation for the level of transparency and detail provided in her report.
Proposal - Ad Hoc Committee for Operational Integrity & Chapter Development (Dec 2022)
Presented at CAUAA Fall Conference 2022
Trustee Hill's proposal that responds to the cry for help from alumni to help our alumni and chapter leaders enhance their fiduciary, governance, and alumni engagement skills to position CAUAA for success.
"A Conversation With Trustee Hill"
Hosted by The Atlanta Chapter (Feb 2022)
Featured Guest of Dekalb Chapter (March 2022)
Trustee Hill was a guest at the Atlanta Chapter's General Body Meeting that was open to ALL CAU Alumni in February 2022. This was the first of its kind meeting with an Alumni Representative to our Board. Trustee Hill's transparency and candor was appreciated as she shared information about important initiatives happening at the University, opportunities for alumni to enhance giving and engagement, and she answered questions.
Some members of the Dekalb Chapter enjoyed it so much that she was invited to be the guest at their meeting the next month.
Alumni Representative Report to CAUAA
Spring National Meeting (June 2022)
Trustee Hill's usual very detailed and thorough report from her activities during the second half of the fiscal year, Trustee updates, and operational opportunities for improvement for CAUAA.