Why did we eliminate dues for membership in the CEAA?
At our most recent meeting, the Board of Directors of the Cornell Engineering Alumni Association (CEAA) voted to eliminate dues for membership in the CEAA. For the past twelve years, paid annual membership in the CEAA has dropped 18%, from 1410 to 1156 members. The Board has spent a great deal of time and energy trying to stem this trend and boost membership numbers, with little success. Also, our analysis revealed that the expenses of postage, materials, and staff time spent to manage paid membership amounted to over 40% of the annual revenue from dues.
With these facts in mind, the Board voted unanimously to eliminate dues to better implement the mission of the CEAA - to engage alumni in the life of the college. Dean Fuchs has agreed to supplement the CEAA budget with money from the Cornell Fund for Engineering. The Cornell Fund for Engineering consists of unrestricted contributions to the college made by alumni and friends each year. Tim Dougherty, the Assistant Dean of Alumni Affairs and Development in the College of Engineering, is convinced that by putting resources previously dedicated to marketing, soliciting, and administering dues to use in raising additional gifts for the Cornell Fund for Engineering, the budget shortfall resulting from not charging CEAA membership dues can be more than made up.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the CEAA, I’d like to thank our lifetime and past paying members for their support of the college and the CEAA. We hope this change in membership will encourage more alumni to become active participants in the College of Engineering community. For example, alumni can help recruit outstanding students and faculty, speak at a class on campus, become a mentor, and assist with student job placements.
We also hope members, past and present, will continue their support of the college by considering making an annual gift to the Cornell Fund for Engineering. To find out how you can make a gift, visit or contact Shannon Ahn, Assistant Director of Alumni Affairs and Development.
Jaclyn A. Spear ’74 EE
President, CEAA
