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College & Professional Chapter Operational Guide

Purpose of This Guide

This document establishes the required operating standards for all College and Professional Chapters. It defines chapter authority, financial operations, data governance, communication protocols, and programming expectations.

All chapters must operate within these standards to maintain recognition and eligibility for institutional support. This guide is subject to change.

  • The College & Professional Chapter model is built on:

    • Clear authority 
    • Centralized governance 
    • Financial discipline 
    • Data integrity 

    Recognized chapters retain autonomy in programming while operating within unified institutional standards.

  • 3.1 Primary Focus
    College and Professional Chapters exist to support:

    • Alumni-to-student networking 
    • Alumni-to-alumni and campus engagement 
    • Fundraising and granting of Replenishment Grants 
    • Alumni communication outreach 

    Chapters are program-driven and engagement-centered.

    3.2 Achieving True Blue

    College and Professional chapters are encouraged to achieve True Blue status. To qualify, chapters must maintain a full leadership team, hold at least three leadership meetings each year, host an alumni-to-student event, an alumni-to-alumni event, an alumni-with-community event, and an event related to replenishment grants, and submit both a financial report and an event report. See section 9 below for more event details.

  • 4.1 Types of Chapter Authority
    BYU Alumni–Recognized Chapters

    Must:

    • Have a BYU campus sponsor 
    • Maintain chapter leadership outside of BYU employment 
    • Be consistently active which is defined as the chapter plans and carries out two events a year and rewards a student a replenishment grant at least once every three years.  
    • Maintain an official BYU Alumni page 
    • Have access and use AlumniTools to manage the operations of the chapter 

    May:

    • Request email promotion 
    • Request reimbursements 
    • Raise and grant Replenishment Grants 
    • Request alumni demographic reports 

    BYU Alumni–Reunion Groups
    Limited designation.

    May:

    • Request email promotion for occasional reunions or engagement events 

    May not:

    • Access AlumniTools 
    • Request reimbursements 
    • Raise or grant Replenishment Grants 
    • Request alumni demographics 

    Reunion Groups are not considered a chapter and operate solely as email-promotion partners.

    4.2 Sponsor Role
    Sponsors are the on-campus college/professional group that have verified they take on the role as sponsor for a college/professional chapter. Sponsors serve in an advisory and oversight capacity.

    Sponsors:

    • May counsel with the Alumni Chapter Leadership regarding student needs 
    • May encourage students to apply for Replenishment Grants through the scholarship office 
    • May request that a chapter share information with alumni 
    • May only have access to AlumniTools site through “College Sponsor” role 

    Sponsors may not:

    • Lead chapter operations 
    • Organize chapter events 
    • Use department campus cards or any university or personal funds for chapter expenses 
    • Request reimbursement from the chapter 
    • Independently initiate fundraising 
    • Participate in granting Replenishment Grants 
    • Submit requests on AlumniTools or have a role other than “College Sponsor” 
    • Conduct financial activity outside institutional systems 

    All financial and communication activity must be initiated by chapter leadership.

    All BYU sponsors must comply with the fundraising guidelines as set by the university. View the guidelines here: https://fundraising.byu.edu/

    4.3 Chapter Leadership

    Chapter leadership must be composed entirely of volunteer individuals who are not employed by BYU.

    BYU employees, including faculty and staff, may not serve in chapter leadership roles beyond chapter sponsor.

    Chapter leaders are responsible for:

    • Initiating event requests 
    • Submitting communication requests 
    • Overseeing chapter finances 
    • Managing fundraising efforts within approved categories 
    • Ensuring compliance with this operational guide 

    Leadership eligibility is required to maintain chapter recognition status. Failure to meet leadership requirements may result in suspension or loss of recognition.

  • 5.1 Approved Fundraising

    College Chapters are authorized to fundraise exclusively for Replenishment Grants.

    Funds must be collected using the provided “give.byu.edu” link.

    Fundraising for any other purpose requires prior institutional approval. Please email the Alumni Relations Manager to approve any fundraising beyond Replenishment Grants.

    Professional and College Chapters do not fundraise beyond approved engagement efforts.

    5.2 Operational Funds & Account Structure
    Professional and College Chapters may not open independent financial accounts, including Desert First Credit Union accounts.

    All operational funds are managed through the Alumni Relations Office using Class Codes and BYU accounts.

    Ways to Add Funds

    1. Eventbrite Revenue
    Ticket funds will be transferred into the chapter’s BYU account through the AlumniTools Eventbrite request process.

    2.Direct Bank Wire (Non-Tax Deductible Contributions)
    Alumni may contribute operational funds via bank wire. Contributions are not tax-deductible.
    Chapters must notify the Alumni Relations Manager in advance with:

    • Transfer amount 

    Wire details:
    https://byu.box.com/s/cchlqcbs3gdv0aicfhfz1sisorv0bzh1

    3. Mailed Check (Non-Tax Deductible Contributions)

    Checks must be made payable to:

    BYU Alumni Association
    Include chapter name in memo

    Mail to:
    BYU Alumni Relations
    Attn: Joy Weller
    701 E University Pkwy
    276 HC
    Provo, UT 84602

    Chapters must notify the Alumni Relations Manager when a check is sent.

    Sponsorships

    A sponsorship is not funded by a donation or gift. It is typically an effort to promote through marketing or advertising and, therefore, it covers the costs of production and provides financial gain for the promoter. This arrangement is permitted in non-tithing-based entities such as Athletics and BYU Broadcasting. All sponsorships must align with university policy and guidelines. Questions about sponsorships should be directed to the advancement vice president’s office.

    Please visit https://fundraising.byu.edu/ for more details.

    5.3 Making Purchases

    Chapters must maintain sufficient funds in their operational account before initiating purchases. Chapter leadership must approve of all chapter purchases.

    Two purchase methods are available:

    Option 1: Reimbursement (Preferred for purchases under $2,500)

    A chapter leader may pay upfront and request reimbursement. The reimbursement request must be made by the chapter chair within 15 days of purchase.

    Requirements:

    • Maximum standard reimbursement: $2,500 
    • Department credit cards outside BYU Alumni Relations may never be used 
    • Chapters may never reimburse a BYU campus sponsor or any BYU employee 

    Reimbursement processing typically takes 2–4 weeks.

    To request reimbursement, email the Alumni Relations Manager with:

    • Full name 
    • Phone number 
    • Email 
    • Mailing address 
    • Reimbursement amount 
    • Itemized receipt matching reimbursement total 
    • Description of purchase and associated event 

    Failure to comply may result in reimbursement denial.

    Option 2: BYU Alumni Credit Card (Preferred for purchases over $2,500)

    The Alumni Relations Office may process payment using a BYU credit card.

    To initiate:

    Email the Alumni Relations Manager with:

    • Purchase amount (Refer to note below for purchases over $3,500)  
    • Description of purchase 
    • Name of associated event 

    Vendor must email invoice or provide online payment option.

    After payment, confirmation will be provided. An itemized receipt must be retained.

    Department credit cards outside the Alumni Relations Office may never be used.

    ** For purchases exceeding $3,500 it is required that you provide three competitive quotes along with the reason why you chose the one that you did. Reimbursement request must be submitted prior to purchase.

    5.4 Making transfers 
    College and professional chapters with existing DFCU accounts are limited to one transfer per month from their BYU account to their DFCU account. For that reason, chapters are encouraged to request enough to cover anticipated expenses for the full month.

    5.5 Financial Controls & Compliance
    Chapters must operate within the rules and regulations stated within this guide. We encourage chapters to reach out to the BYU Alumni Relations staff for any further guidance or clarification of policy.

    Non-compliance may result in:

    • Suspension of reimbursement privileges 
    • Loss of chapter recognition 
    • Additional financial review 

  • 6.1 Centralized Data Management

    All chapter records must be maintained within BYU institutional systems.

    Independent databases or off-system data storage are not permitted.

    6.2 Data Access & Privacy

    Due to CES privacy policy, alumni names and personal contact information may not be released to chapters.

    To send an email or other mass communication (text, flyer, etc.) to alumni, chapter leadership must submit a request through AlumniTools.

    Demographic Reports
    BYU Alumni–Recognized Chapters may request demographic summaries including:

    • Majors 
    • Education beyond BYU 
    • Past jobs 
    • Current jobs 
    • Marital status 
    • Age 

    Requests must be submitted through the Service Request Form at https://alumni.byu.edu/service-request-form.

  • 7.1 Alumni Chapter Membership 

    An individual is considered a BYU Alumni if they have completed 24 credits hours at BYU. Alumni are divided into professional and college chapters based on tags. College chapter tags are based on the major an alum graduated in. Professional chapter tags are added to alumni accounts based on rosters received from the BYU campus sponsor. We encourage rosters to be sent to the Alumni Relations Records department after each semester to keep chapter membership current. To add alumni to a tag we ask to gather as much of the following information as possible: (minimum) Legal first and last name, NetID, BYU ID, email, and phone number.

    If alumni are actively involved in your chapter’s leadership, events, or programming, please notify the Alumni Relations team so they can mark their activity in the system. This helps us recognize engaged alumni and maintain accurate records of chapter participation.

    7.2 “Friends of” Your Chapter

    Individuals who support your chapter but did not attend BYU are considered “Friends of” the chapter. Because the alumni system only includes former BYU students, these individuals cannot be added to your chapter’s official roster. Chapter leadership is responsible for maintaining a separate list of their contact information, such as email addresses, so they can still receive communications and event invitations. When submitting an email request, please upload the list of “Friends of” email addresses with the request.

    7.3 Chapter Affinity Groups 

    Established chapters can look into the creation of affinity groups. Members of these affinity groups would be alumni within the college/professional chapter. Affinity groups should not be created to diminish involvement in regional chapters but instead enhance it. If you’re interested in the creation of affinity groups within your chapter, please reach out to the alumni relations manager.

  • 8.1 Approved Platforms

    All official communications to alumni must be sent through BYU Alumni authorized accounts.

    Personal accounts may not be used for official outreach to BYU Alumni.

    8.2 Email Request Policies 

    All email requests must be made through the request form on AlumniTools to ensure tracking and scheduled delivery of your email. Sending a request to alumnichapterast@byu.edu does not constitute an official request and are not guaranteed to be sent. Please reach out to the Alumni Relations team if you experience glitches with the email request form.

    Please allow 3-5 business days for email processing. All email drafts must be approved by the Chapter Chair prior to distribution. Drafts not approved by the Chapter Chair in a timely manner should expect delays. If approval has not been received after two reminder requests, the email will not be sent.

    Chapters can send out up to two emails per event. Reminder emails need to be at least 7 days apart from the intial send date. Chapters that need more than one reminder email for a large event should reach out to the Alumni Relations Manager for approval in advance. If chapters have multiple events in the same month, please combine the outreach into one email, ideally in a newsletter-style format. For more tips and information see the Email Best Practices ChapterPedia page: https://alumni.byu.edu/emailbestpractices

    8.3 Alumni List Management

    Lists must:

    • Be pulled from BYU Records 
    • Be segmented specifically to the chapter 

    Chapters may not maintain separate uncontrolled distribution lists.

    Alumni may subscribe to BYU Alumni emails using the official subscription link: https://mailchi.mp/byu.edu/resubscribe-to-byu-alumni-emails
    Alumni may update their information using the official update link: https://alumni.byu.edu/update-your-info

  • 9.1 Chapter Events

    All events must:

    • Align with the chapter’s defined role and operate within institutional policy 
    • Have identified funding source (see section 9.2 below)  
    • Follow financial procedures prior to vendor commitment 

    Ideas are as follows:

    Connecting Alumni with Students

    • Alumni/Student dinners 
    • Career fairs 
    • Industry panels  
    • Professional development programming 
    • Alumni–student mentorship program (short-term or semester pairing) 
    • Internship pipeline event with alumni employers 
    • “Day in the Life” career talks with alumni speakers 
    • Mock interview night 
    • Graduate school or MBA application panel with alumni 
    • Job shadow coordination with local alumni 
    • Alumni guest lectures in university classes 
    • Speed networking event with students 
    • Alumni judging student competitions or capstone presentations 

    Connecting Alumni with Alumni

    • Reunions  
    • Email newsletter  
    • Professional roundtable discussion (industry-focused) 
    • Virtual networking hour for geographically dispersed alumni 
    • Alumni speaker series 
    • Interest-based gatherings (entrepreneurship, tech, public service, etc.) 
    • Small group dinners hosted by local alumni 
    • Alumni spotlight interviews or webinars 
    • Outdoor or recreational events (hikes, sporting events, watch parties) 

    Connecting Alumni with Community

    • Service projects 
    • Volunteer service day with a local nonprofit 
    • Food bank or clothing drive 
    • Community mentorship program with local schools 
    • Community career day hosted by alumni 
    • Community clean-up or environmental project 
    • Public lecture or educational workshop open to the community 

    **Reunion Groups are limited to reunion-related email promotion and a reunion Eventbrite page.

    9.2 Determining Event Funding Source

    Chapters must determine the funding source prior to hosting an event.

    Chapter-Funded Events:
    If an event is solely sponsored by the chapter, all expenses and payments must be processed through the chapter’s accounts.

    BYU Sponsor-Funded Events:
    If an event is funded entirely by a college or academic unit, the college is responsible for covering all event expenses through its own budget and processes. Chapter funds should not be used for these events.

    Chapter and BYU Sponsor–Funded Events:
    If an event is jointly supported by both the chapter and a college, each party must pay its respective expenses directly through its own accounts. Expenses must be clearly divided between the chapter and the college prior to the event. BYU Colleges or Professional groups cannot be reimbursed by the chapter for expenses. Each group may promote the event through its own communication channels. These chapter and college-funded events must not raise any funds outside of replenishment grants. If replenishment grant funds are raised at the event, those funds must remain with the chapter; the college may not retain any portion of replenishment grant funds generated through the event.

    For instructions on making purchases or payments, refer to the relevant purchasing section 5 of this guide.

  • The following are prohibited by College and Professional Alumni Chapters:

    • Use of BYU department campus cards 
    • Off-system data storage 
    • Unapproved fundraising 
    • Independent financial accounts 

    All activity must remain auditable and within institutional systems.
PDF Version of College & Professional Chapter Operational Guide