\n\n\n\n
<\/a>Contracts: <\/h2>\n\n\n\nDue to University of Michigan legal policies, alumni club leadership and the Ross Alumni Relations team cannot sign any contracts.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Vendor contracts must be sent to the U-M Procurement Department for approval and signing. This process takes approximately two weeks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Forward any contractual information to the Alumni Engagement team at MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a>; we will provide it to the Procurement Office. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- To allow for the two-week processing time, please send us these materials <\/strong>AT LEAST TWO WEEKS<\/u><\/strong> in advance. <\/strong>In the rare but possible circumstance that a contract is not approved, utilizing another vendor or venue may be required. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/a>Financial Restrictions \u2014 University Policy:<\/h2>\n\n\n\nThe following restrictions regarding maximum per-person costs apply to all alumni club events:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Breakfast, brunch, lunch<\/em> events: $30 maximum per person<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dinner events:<\/em> $70 maximum per person<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Alcohol spending:<\/em> $20 maximum per person (in addition to food costs), per event, including tax and tip <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The following items are not included in the per-person cost for hosting: venue deposit\/rental, linens and decorations, AV\/equipment rental, Bartender or wait-staff fees or other service\/management fees (not including gratuity)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
For example, if your club is hosting a networking lunch, the budget spend can be no more than $50 per person\u2014up to $20 on alcohol and up to $30 on lunch. The University of Michigan will not reimburse you for food\/drink payments in excess of the set per person maximum amounts.<\/u> <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn addition to these limitations, please remember to set up and monitor your own club budget and stay within it to avoid financial complications.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/a>Club Expense Payments (Pay via University Credit Card):<\/h2>\n\n\n\nAll events which are paid for through club funding must<\/u> be documented.<\/strong> U.S.-based clubs in particular are encouraged to use the Michigan Ross Alumni Relations credit card to finance all payments, including payments to vendors, whenever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPlease contact the Alumni Engagement team at MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a> as early as possible<\/em> in your event planning process to discuss the best way for our staff to pay for your club-related expenses \u2013 even if Michigan Ross\u2019s handling of your payment may appear challenging given your particular purchasing case. We may be able to find a creative solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Payments made through our university credit card are eligible for tax exemption <\/strong>if you are in CO, CT, FL, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, DC, or WI. Depending on the charge amount, this can equate to sizable savings. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- *When the Ross credit card is used, itemized receipts and event guest lists<\/u><\/strong> must be sent to the Alumni Engagement team at <\/strong>MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/strong><\/a> within 5 days<\/u><\/strong>. No further reimbursement action is necessary. For your convenience, we have created an Alumni Club Event Sign-In template.<\/a> <\/strong>Please use this, or your own attendance list, to track your club\u2019s alumni participation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Alcohol purchases must be broken down and included separately on the itemized receipt <\/strong>(i.e., if coffee and alcohol were served, do not group both as \u201cbeverages\u201d\u2014list alcohol separately).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Here is an example of an itemized vs. non-itemized receipt. It is important that we receive the payer’s signature on the charge receipt. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"Itemized](\"https:\/\/rossweb.bus.umich.edu\/alumni-club-resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2017\/10\/Itemized-v.-non-itemized-receipt.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nReimbursements:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Again, we strongly recommend that U.S.-based clubs utilize our Alumni Engagement credit card to pay for events. <\/strong>Reimbursements, however, may be made to any Michigan Ross Alumni Club member, though most payments generally stem from the club\u2019s leadership team. For purchases made with a credit card to be reimbursed, the itemized receipt signature must match the credit card utilized.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWithin 45 days of your event, please send to MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n- Your club\u2019s name<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Date of the event for which the reimbursed purchases were utilized<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Guest list<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Itemized receipt(s) with payer signature to indicate proof of payment if credit\/debit card used<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The name and address of the persons to be reimbursed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
*Please use this Reimbursement Form for easy filing.<\/u><\/a> Once received, reimbursements typically take two to three weeks to process.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTransferring money internationally can make the process of accessing your stipend complicated. As an international alumni club, the most straightforward way to access your club’s funds is through the University of Michigan’s international expense reimbursement process. For U of M to process your reimbursement to be processed, all required paperwork must be received within 45 days of your alumni club’s event.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nOther notes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- The University of Michigan will not reimburse you for any expenses in excess of your set club stipend’s dollar amount.<\/em><\/u><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- U of M will only reimburse individual<\/strong><\/em>s<\/em><\/strong>, not companies or organizations. If you’re paying with a credit card or check, make sure to use your personal account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Keep a comprehensive guest list<\/a> and all receipts from your club events. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be mindful sensitive information should not be shared over email.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Email your completed paperwork together to MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a>. Reimbursements typically take 2 – 3 weeks to process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Funding, Resources, and Generating Additional Club Revenue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Michigan Ross alumni club leaders who are planning events for your community are encouraged to connect with the Office of Advancement to submit your event and budget request before hosting an event. This process can help to ensure appropriate fiduciary practices are followed that are within an allocated budget, as well as best practices with event planning overall. You can reach out to an Office of Advancement, Alumni Engagement team member via email to\u00a0MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAny revenue that alumni clubs collect themselves (primarily this is through event registration fees) rolls forward yearly; unused Michigan Ross stipend funds do not, and end-of-year requests for remaining stipend use must be submitted\u00a0by Apr. 30 annually. Your Michigan Ross alumni club\u2019s website provides a safe and easy eCommerce platform for you to collect club revenue, which will be added to your club\u2019s general funds.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To stretch your club\u2019s funding, or to generate additional revenue, consider these strategies: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Charge an attendance fee for club events. <\/strong>Depending on the event, the fee can be anywhere from $5 to $45. Event fees are standard practices for many Michigan Ross Alumni Clubs. Attendance fees carry a number of benefits, but foremost among them are:\n
\n- Alumni who have paid to attend an event are more likely to attend it,<\/strong> reducing the number of no-shows.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- An event fee places a value on an event\u2019s quality<\/strong>. Alumni want to attend events that are worth their time. A dollar value provides a numerical translation of that time into quality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Attendance fees help hold club leadership teams to the highest event planning standards<\/strong>. The realization that people have paid money to attend an event you are organizing adds a certain sense of accountability that might not be present otherwise. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- To charge a registration fee, you must create a registration page that is associated with your event.<\/strong>\u00a0View this pdf, \u201cAlumni Clubs Event Registration Setup,\u201d for full photo instructions describing this process<\/a>. Instructions for setting up a basic registration webpage and adding a registration fee are provided.\u00a0\u00a0
\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nConcerned alumni won\u2019t be willing to pay for a club event in your region? If so:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n- Focus on quality, not quantity.<\/strong> A few content-driven, high-quality lifelong learning or professional development events that charge an attendance fee can generate more excitement and consistent engagement amongst a broader alumni segment than several free happy hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be consistent.<\/strong> Consistency breeds trust and alumni must trust that their local alumni clubs will deliver interesting\/useful programming for those alums to take time out of their busy lives to participate. It is possible for all clubs to be consistent in delivery and quality — even if the club is smaller and only offers a few selections per year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Explore free local events (including already-planned UMAA events)<\/strong> and volunteer opportunities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Utilize public meeting space<\/strong> or organize meet-ups.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Take advantage of University of Michigan alumni activities<\/a><\/strong> being hosted in the area<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Remember that the purpose of the Michigan Ross Alumni Clubs is to bring alumni together to catch up, network, and to further their lifelong learning and development beyond the classroom with events that evoke the Michigan Ross experience. There must not necessarily be an expectation of free food or drinks. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/a>Attendance Tracking and Event Documentation<\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn a department-wide effort to improve alumni data and metrics, Michigan Ross is committed to measuring and tracking alumni activities and engagement across the School, including through the alumni clubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Vendor contracts must be sent to the U-M Procurement Department for approval and signing. This process takes approximately two weeks.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Forward any contractual information to the Alumni Engagement team at MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a>; we will provide it to the Procurement Office. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- To allow for the two-week processing time, please send us these materials <\/strong>AT LEAST TWO WEEKS<\/u><\/strong> in advance. <\/strong>In the rare but possible circumstance that a contract is not approved, utilizing another vendor or venue may be required. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/a>Financial Restrictions \u2014 University Policy:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The following restrictions regarding maximum per-person costs apply to all alumni club events:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Breakfast, brunch, lunch<\/em> events: $30 maximum per person<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dinner events:<\/em> $70 maximum per person<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Alcohol spending:<\/em> $20 maximum per person (in addition to food costs), per event, including tax and tip <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The following items are not included in the per-person cost for hosting: venue deposit\/rental, linens and decorations, AV\/equipment rental, Bartender or wait-staff fees or other service\/management fees (not including gratuity)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
For example, if your club is hosting a networking lunch, the budget spend can be no more than $50 per person\u2014up to $20 on alcohol and up to $30 on lunch. The University of Michigan will not reimburse you for food\/drink payments in excess of the set per person maximum amounts.<\/u> <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to these limitations, please remember to set up and monitor your own club budget and stay within it to avoid financial complications.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/a>Club Expense Payments (Pay via University Credit Card):<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
All events which are paid for through club funding must<\/u> be documented.<\/strong> U.S.-based clubs in particular are encouraged to use the Michigan Ross Alumni Relations credit card to finance all payments, including payments to vendors, whenever possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Please contact the Alumni Engagement team at MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a> as early as possible<\/em> in your event planning process to discuss the best way for our staff to pay for your club-related expenses \u2013 even if Michigan Ross\u2019s handling of your payment may appear challenging given your particular purchasing case. We may be able to find a creative solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Payments made through our university credit card are eligible for tax exemption <\/strong>if you are in CO, CT, FL, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, RI, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, DC, or WI. Depending on the charge amount, this can equate to sizable savings. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- *When the Ross credit card is used, itemized receipts and event guest lists<\/u><\/strong> must be sent to the Alumni Engagement team at <\/strong>MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/strong><\/a> within 5 days<\/u><\/strong>. No further reimbursement action is necessary. For your convenience, we have created an Alumni Club Event Sign-In template.<\/a> <\/strong>Please use this, or your own attendance list, to track your club\u2019s alumni participation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Alcohol purchases must be broken down and included separately on the itemized receipt <\/strong>(i.e., if coffee and alcohol were served, do not group both as \u201cbeverages\u201d\u2014list alcohol separately).<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Here is an example of an itemized vs. non-itemized receipt. It is important that we receive the payer’s signature on the charge receipt. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nReimbursements:<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Again, we strongly recommend that U.S.-based clubs utilize our Alumni Engagement credit card to pay for events. <\/strong>Reimbursements, however, may be made to any Michigan Ross Alumni Club member, though most payments generally stem from the club\u2019s leadership team. For purchases made with a credit card to be reimbursed, the itemized receipt signature must match the credit card utilized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within 45 days of your event, please send to MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Your club\u2019s name<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Date of the event for which the reimbursed purchases were utilized<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Guest list<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Itemized receipt(s) with payer signature to indicate proof of payment if credit\/debit card used<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The name and address of the persons to be reimbursed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
*Please use this Reimbursement Form for easy filing.<\/u><\/a> Once received, reimbursements typically take two to three weeks to process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Transferring money internationally can make the process of accessing your stipend complicated. As an international alumni club, the most straightforward way to access your club’s funds is through the University of Michigan’s international expense reimbursement process. For U of M to process your reimbursement to be processed, all required paperwork must be received within 45 days of your alumni club’s event.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other notes: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- The University of Michigan will not reimburse you for any expenses in excess of your set club stipend’s dollar amount.<\/em><\/u><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- U of M will only reimburse individual<\/strong><\/em>s<\/em><\/strong>, not companies or organizations. If you’re paying with a credit card or check, make sure to use your personal account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Keep a comprehensive guest list<\/a> and all receipts from your club events. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be mindful sensitive information should not be shared over email.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Email your completed paperwork together to MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a>. Reimbursements typically take 2 – 3 weeks to process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On Funding, Resources, and Generating Additional Club Revenue<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Michigan Ross alumni club leaders who are planning events for your community are encouraged to connect with the Office of Advancement to submit your event and budget request before hosting an event. This process can help to ensure appropriate fiduciary practices are followed that are within an allocated budget, as well as best practices with event planning overall. You can reach out to an Office of Advancement, Alumni Engagement team member via email to\u00a0MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Any revenue that alumni clubs collect themselves (primarily this is through event registration fees) rolls forward yearly; unused Michigan Ross stipend funds do not, and end-of-year requests for remaining stipend use must be submitted\u00a0by Apr. 30 annually. Your Michigan Ross alumni club\u2019s website provides a safe and easy eCommerce platform for you to collect club revenue, which will be added to your club\u2019s general funds.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To stretch your club\u2019s funding, or to generate additional revenue, consider these strategies: <\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Charge an attendance fee for club events. <\/strong>Depending on the event, the fee can be anywhere from $5 to $45. Event fees are standard practices for many Michigan Ross Alumni Clubs. Attendance fees carry a number of benefits, but foremost among them are:\n
- \n
- Alumni who have paid to attend an event are more likely to attend it,<\/strong> reducing the number of no-shows.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- An event fee places a value on an event\u2019s quality<\/strong>. Alumni want to attend events that are worth their time. A dollar value provides a numerical translation of that time into quality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Attendance fees help hold club leadership teams to the highest event planning standards<\/strong>. The realization that people have paid money to attend an event you are organizing adds a certain sense of accountability that might not be present otherwise. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
- To charge a registration fee, you must create a registration page that is associated with your event.<\/strong>\u00a0View this pdf, \u201cAlumni Clubs Event Registration Setup,\u201d for full photo instructions describing this process<\/a>. Instructions for setting up a basic registration webpage and adding a registration fee are provided.\u00a0\u00a0
\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\nConcerned alumni won\u2019t be willing to pay for a club event in your region? If so:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Focus on quality, not quantity.<\/strong> A few content-driven, high-quality lifelong learning or professional development events that charge an attendance fee can generate more excitement and consistent engagement amongst a broader alumni segment than several free happy hours.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be consistent.<\/strong> Consistency breeds trust and alumni must trust that their local alumni clubs will deliver interesting\/useful programming for those alums to take time out of their busy lives to participate. It is possible for all clubs to be consistent in delivery and quality — even if the club is smaller and only offers a few selections per year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Explore free local events (including already-planned UMAA events)<\/strong> and volunteer opportunities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Utilize public meeting space<\/strong> or organize meet-ups.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Take advantage of University of Michigan alumni activities<\/a><\/strong> being hosted in the area<\/a>. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Remember that the purpose of the Michigan Ross Alumni Clubs is to bring alumni together to catch up, network, and to further their lifelong learning and development beyond the classroom with events that evoke the Michigan Ross experience. There must not necessarily be an expectation of free food or drinks. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n<\/a>Attendance Tracking and Event Documentation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In a department-wide effort to improve alumni data and metrics, Michigan Ross is committed to measuring and tracking alumni activities and engagement across the School, including through the alumni clubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- Be consistent.<\/strong> Consistency breeds trust and alumni must trust that their local alumni clubs will deliver interesting\/useful programming for those alums to take time out of their busy lives to participate. It is possible for all clubs to be consistent in delivery and quality — even if the club is smaller and only offers a few selections per year.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- An event fee places a value on an event\u2019s quality<\/strong>. Alumni want to attend events that are worth their time. A dollar value provides a numerical translation of that time into quality.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Alumni who have paid to attend an event are more likely to attend it,<\/strong> reducing the number of no-shows.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- U of M will only reimburse individual<\/strong><\/em>s<\/em><\/strong>, not companies or organizations. If you’re paying with a credit card or check, make sure to use your personal account.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The University of Michigan will not reimburse you for any expenses in excess of your set club stipend’s dollar amount.<\/em><\/u><\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
- *When the Ross credit card is used, itemized receipts and event guest lists<\/u><\/strong> must be sent to the Alumni Engagement team at <\/strong>MiRossAlumniClubs@umich.edu<\/strong><\/a> within 5 days<\/u><\/strong>. No further reimbursement action is necessary. For your convenience, we have created an Alumni Club Event Sign-In template.<\/a> <\/strong>Please use this, or your own attendance list, to track your club\u2019s alumni participation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Dinner events:<\/em> $70 maximum per person<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- To allow for the two-week processing time, please send us these materials <\/strong>AT LEAST TWO WEEKS<\/u><\/strong> in advance. <\/strong>In the rare but possible circumstance that a contract is not approved, utilizing another vendor or venue may be required. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n