ALUMNI SOCIETIES
HOW DO I . . .
ORGANIZATION
Start a new group?
Contact Craig Little, director of alumni societies. The society office can provide lists of alumni in your area of interest as a starting point. Special interest alumni societies need to make sure that a constituent code has been created for their group. Contact ADIS at (614) 292-8306 or e-mail Kay Baker (baker.32@osu.edu).
Conduct organizational meetings/establish board of governors
The alumni society office will help facilitate the planning discussions. Initially, a core group of alumni will gather to elect the society board of governors. We recommend a group of 12 board members with rotating terms. From this group, committee chairs will be chosen. For the first year, this board will also serve as a planning committee. This will set the foundation for future society programming.
Approve constitution and bylaws
After careful examination for the proposed society constitution and bylaws, the society should make any necessary amendments and formally adopt them with a two-thirds majority vote. Upon adoption, the constitution and bylaws will be presented to The Ohio State University Alumni Association, Inc. Board of Directors for approval after the society meets the chartering requirements. SAMPLE CONSTITUTION
Schedule regular board meetings
If possible, the Alumni Association will be represented when the society board conducts its business meetings. It is suggested that the board meet at least four times a year to facilitate planning; monthly meetings may be necessary during the first year. Meetings allow for a consistent exchange of ideas between alumni and the Alumni Association.
Delegate responsibilities
Once the board is elected, committee chairs should be assigned and alumni volunteers placed in those committees. In the initial year of the society, the board should draft a society plan to instruct committees of their role within the society.
The society president will maintain contact with the alumni society office and seek support for activities on a regular basis.
Request a list of constituents?
Contact Heidi Glanzman.
Conduct an interest survey?
Whether your society is organizing or branching out with new programs, it is important to know something about the your alumni. We suggest periodic surveys for the alumni in your constituency. Consider questions about possible programs, volunteer interests and talents. Limit the survey to five questions and encourage additional comments or suggestions. Surveys can be conducted at meetings, through a mailing, via your listserv or using on-line service like Zoomerang.
Recruit members?
There are many creative ways to market your group.
● Hold a kick-off event and distribute membership applications.
● Use the Association’s print and mail services to send postcards advertising the benefits of membership in your group.
● Create a member-pricing level for your events.
● Start a Web site and use PayPal or similar service to collect membership dues.
● Ask current members to participate in a membership-recruitment contest.
Recruit volunteers?
Relationships are key in recruiting and retaining volunteers. Get to know your members and personally ask them to become volunteers. Find out what contribution a volunteer wishes to make and match their skills and interests to tasks. Create opportunities for volunteers to make meaningful contributions like supporting a worthwhile cause.
● Make volunteering easy.
● Clearly define volunteer leadership roles and projects and be flexible. Have short-term commitments related to a task, not a title.
● Concentrate on good “followership;" the expectation is that most members will share the workload.
● Create a climate of participation. Instead of asking an individual to do all the work, develop small teams to encourage collaboration.
● Involve as many individuals as possible.
● Value your volunteers.
● Be flexible. Your volunteers will bring different opinions and ways of doing things. Be willing to do things in a slightly different way.
● Acknowledge volunteer contributions by saying thank you often and in front of their peers.
● Communicate the importance of their contributions and how they fit into the big picture of a successful organization.
● Be a great leader.
● Be realistic about what you have the time and ability to do.
● Delegate tasks.
● Make sure volunteers understand their responsibilities and rely on them.
● Involve volunteers in decision-making.
● Set no more than three attainable goals per year.
● Celebrate with the membership once goals have been accomplished.
● Have fewer board meetings and make them shorter. Assign a facilitator to make sure the meeting follows the agenda. Try to keep meetings to an hour.
Organize my board?
The ideal alumni society board would consist of 12 people, with staggered terms lasting three years. At minimum want the following officers: president, vice president/president elect, secretary, treasurer and immediate past president. The remaining seven board members would serve as committee chairs or members-at-large.
Seek alumni who have strong leadership background, event planning skills, financial and investment experience, who are diverse, and represent as many different disciplines within your society.
Additionally you will want at least one student representative. Colleges, departments, and schools could also have the dean, faculty members, development officer, and campus liaison serve on the board.
When you form committees, seek alumni who are not currently on the board. It allows for more participation and can give you another way to find potential new board members.
Contact the alumni society office for further information and to look at the sample constitution.
Provide the association with an updated list of officers?
E-mail Craig Little with the results of your election.
Get chartered?
In order to receive a charter your group must
● have a full board of govenors (minimum of eight);
● be in existence for a minimum of two years;
● have evidence of consistent and stable programming; be financially stable;
● provide evidence of future leaders in that new volunteers have been actively working on committees to replace board members;
● submit a constitution to the OSUAA board for approval SAMPLE CONSTITUTION;
● submit a complete list of dues-paying members if applicable;
● give evidence of alumni programming and programming that includes current students.
FINANCES
Become self-supporting?
Each alumni group needs to be financially self-sufficient. You may choose to charge membership dues (separate from the Alumni Association, Inc. dues) to cover your group’s operational expenses. Consider adding a small per-person charge or handling fee to each event to raise operational funds.
Establish a bank account?
Each group should establish its own checking account. To do this, a volunteer must complete a form called an SS-4, or an Application for an Employer Identification Number. The SS-4 is most conveniently available through the IRS’s Web site or form hotline 800-829-3676. Once the form is completed, you can mail or fax it to the IRS.
Learn more about our 501 (c) (4) tax-exempt status?
501(c)(4) tax status permits certain tax exemptions for the alumni club. These exemptions may not include exemption from your state’s sales tax. 501(c)(4) is the preferred status by the university and the Alumni Association to keep fund-raising centralized inside the university. Being a 501(c)(4) requires a simple informational reporting to the IRS once a year. There is also a more involved reporting process and the Alumni Association can assist you with any necessary preparations.
● What is tax exempt? The IRS basically defines a tax exempt entity as non-profit (IRS Publication 557). In Ohio a 501(c)(4) organization is not exempt from sales tax.
● As a 501(c)(4) what are we exempt from? Paying taxes on earned income such as interest and dividends.
● What is a EIN? It is a federal Employer Identification Number, issued by the IRS and used by the IRS to identify and keep track of business financial transactions. Unless your group is very new or had minimal activity, it is most likely that you already have your own EIN.
● May I use The Association’s EIN? No, you must have your own.
● Where and how can I get an EIN? First, please check with the Association Finance Office to see if our records show your society already has a EIN. If not, you can apply via phone (800) 829-4933. You will need the information on form SS-4.
● What if our society has two EIN’s? The IRS does NOT want you to have two EIN’s. Please take the necessary steps to transfer all assets to the EIN that is filed with the IRS through our Group Filing. Also, write a letter to the IRS requesting that they cancel the other EIN. Contact the Association Finance Office for assistance or call IRS 1-800-829-4933.
● What if I still have questions? Contact Sherry Chapman or call (614) 292-2288.
You may have to seek legal or tax specialist advice for very technical issues.
Participate in group filing?
● What is Group Filing? It is an informational filing by a central organization (OSUAA) of affiliated subordinate organizations (societies) who qualify to be recognized as exempt from income tax (under section 501(c)(4) of the tax code in our case). This filing is to advise the IRS of: a) name and address changes of the contact person for each subordinate organization, b) whether or not the organization is still active, and c) any major changes in their operations. The form includes a place to indicate whether your group is required to file a 990. The IRS requires this filing annually. It is due 90 days before the end of the central organization’s fiscal year. For us, that means due to the IRS by the end of March.
The date when your group files to qualify as a 501(c)(4) starts a statute of limitations of any future filings (see IRS Publication 557for definition). Your group can save at least $500 in separate filing fees by filing as part of the OSUAA group. The Alumni Association pays the fee, making participation free to you.Your society is not charged for the administrative time in filing the annual return.
● How does my society participate? You may participate in group filing if our society is constituted by the Association’s Board as a sanctioned group. Your society qualifies as a 501(c)(4) tax exempt group. Please see IRS Publication 557; this is the only group filing we have. Your society may also participate by completing the Association’s group exemption annual information, which is mailed out in January. This form requires a minimal amount of time and effort on your part, approximately 30 minutes, to fill out and return. We provide a self-addressed, stamped return envelope or it can be filed electronically.
● Does our participation in the Association’s Group Filing replace filing our own taxes? No. You are recognized as an individual entity to the IRS. You are verifying that you qualify to continue with your tax-exempt status by participating in the group filing. You will need the Association’s group exemption number (GEN 8074) to put on your tax return. You will need to file a 990 if you had gross receipts of $25,000 or more (CAUTION: gross receipts are not net income, see below) or a 990T for UBIT, Unrelated Business Income Taxes in excess of $1,000.
● Gross receipts are the sum of all monies deposited in your treasury without deducting expenses, even if it is a direct expense. For example, your group has a tailgate party and the cost is $10. Even if the total $10 is used to cover food and beverage, that $10 would be included as a gross receipt.
● You are required to file taxes four and a half months after the close of your fiscal or calendar year. Your tax filings are due May 15 of each year for the past year, ending December 31. If you require additional time, you must file an Application for Extension of Time to File an Exempt Organization Return, Form 8868, by the May 15 deadline. Please see the instructions for Form 990 in Section H, “Due Date: 15th day of the 5th month after your accounting period ends.”
● What is UBIT income? Per Publication 598: “Unrelated business income is the income from a trade of business that is regularly carried on by an exempt organization and is not substantially related to the performance by the organization of its exempt purpose or function, except that the organization uses the profits derived from this activity.” Publication 557 and Publication 598 deal with this specific type of income.
● What if we receive a 990 from the IRS? Being included in our group filing may trigger the IRS to send you a form 990. We recommend you complete this form to report whether you did or did not earn gross receipts of over $25,000. Generally this requires that you complete the first few lines of the return, sign and return via mail.
● What is a 1099? A 1099 is a statement of income that you received for such earnings as interest earned on your savings or checking account or dividends.
Work with corporate sponsors?
Corporate partnerships can provide benefit for all parties involved. They give your group an opportunity to build identity with the added benefit of additional resources. Strategic business alliances have assisted clubs in funding newsletters, Web sites, and events. Sponsorship commitments should be made with careful consideration, however, using the guidelines provided below.
● Get agreement in writing; do not sign any long-term agreement that requires any financial committment.
● Take the time to fully understand the sponsorship agreement.
● Do not sign any long-term agreement that requires any financial commitment.
● Review how much visibility will be given to the sponsoring entity.
● Make sure the sponsor’s product or service complies with the Alumni Association’s advertising policy. The association does not accept advertising for alcoholic beverages, tobacco, personal hygiene products, advocacy positions (political, philosophical, religious, moral etc.), or contributions for a purpose not directly affiliated with or benefiting The Ohio State University or the Association.
● Are there competing sponsors? If so, how will your society respond to this situation?
● Make sure you solicit sponsors fairly, giving all parties an equal chance to participate.
● For more ideas about corporate partnerships and to get a copy of a sample partnership agreement, contact Kathy Bickel.
Club and Society sponsorship arrangements must not conflict with the OSUAA sponsors. A yearly sponsorship audit will be conducted by the OSUAA and all groups will be expected to provide lists of current and potential sponsors.
COMMUNICATION
Send a mailing to my constituents?
The Alumni Association offers design, print and mailing services to alumni societies. Contact Craig Little, Jay Hansen, or Kevin Forder to discuss your project, timelines, pricing, and what the Alumni Association can do for you.
Start a Web site?
Ask around – one of your members or their children might have Web site building skills. If no one has Web design expertise, consider mSITES, ClubExpress, or a similiar service.
While we do not have the staff or resources available to help our groups design a Web site, the Association offers Web site hosting space on our server. This service includes the following:
● Free domain name in the form
http://www.alumni-osu.org/GROUPNAME
● Free hosting space on our server.
● FTP access to upload pages and files to our server.
● Free e-mail forward GROUPNAME@alumni-osu.org to forward to an existing email address
● Our server supports: HTML, JavaScript, PHP, MySQL, Perl and Python CGI Scripts, and SSI. We do not support Microsoft FrontPage extensions.
● Access to use our group SSL Certificate for secure transactions.
● Support for password retrieval and log-on issues
For information contact Nate Britton.
Create a listserv?
We can provide easy creation and maintenance of e-mail listservs via our system's web interface. For information contact Nate Britton.
E-mail addresses are obtained from ADIS. Contact Kay Baker for your list.
Use the Alumni Association's logo?
As constituent groups of the Alumni Association, clubs and societies may use the OSUAA logo in its official and unaltered form and in conjunction with the name of the club or society for official business – from signs announcing events, to stationery, to a logo for a T-shirt or coffee mug.
Prior to producing any item, whether for sale or other distribution, you must get written permission from the Alumni Association for the specific use. Permission must be obtained for each new item – you cannot transfer approval for one item to another. If the item consists of a series, such as a newsletter, the permission will remain valid for that item in the form approved. Please forward your requests for approval to Craig Little.
Use of the OSUAA logo is prohibited on or in connection with the promotion of tobacco products, gaming items, alcoholic beverages, undergarments, or personal hygiene products. The Alumni Association, as the owner of its logo, reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of any proposed used.
Please remember that any use of the university or athletic logo is not permitted.
Create a logo for my society?
Many groups want to alter the Alumni Association logo to suit their individual identities. As a general rule, you may add elements as long as the logo itself is not altered or obscured (i.e. placing elements on top of the Alumni Association logo, changing the color). Before hiring a designer, submit your design idea to Craig Little .
Use of your society logo is prohibited on or in connection with the promotion of tobacco products, gaming items, alcoholic beverages, undergarments, or personal hygiene products.
Remember that the Alumni Association cannot authorize your use of university/athletic logos (including but not limited to the athletic Block O, university seal, Brutus and academic logos), images, or copyrighted phrases. Web sites and newsletters containing these images will not be considered for awards.
MEETINGS
Create an event?
Suggested timeline
12 to 16 weeks before your event
Each group has its own personality and different programming goals. Determine what your society wants to accomplish with your event and then select a format that fits. For example, if you want to promote networking, hold a reception instead of a dinner.
Invite any special speaker(s). If requesting a university speaker submit the request form.
Set a budget.
Find a facility and caterer.
Consider a save the date e-mail.
10 to 12 weeks before your event
Confirm any special guests.
Confirm the date and times for your facility.
Make assignments for the responsibilities on your event checklist. SAMPLE CHECKLIST
Set dates for pre-event volunteer meetings.
Seven to eight weeks before your event
Follow-up with volunteers.
Send invitations.
Confirm facility arrangements.
Contact local media for publicity.
Three weeks before your event
Check the RSVP list. Make calls to regular attendees and members who have not registered.
Two weeks before the event
Purchase gifts, awards or certificates.
Secure decorations.
Complete printed programs
Confirm audio-visual needs with the facility.
Plan the evening’s agenda; include an alumni representative.
SAMPLE AGENDA
Within one week
Confirm the attendance count and all arrangements with the facility.
Confirm all assignments on the checklist.
Set a follow-up and evaluation meeting shortly after the event.
SAMPLE EVALUATION
Request meeting space at LAH?
To reserve a space, please contact the events department at (614) 292-3067.
Meeting space policies
● Free room rentals still apply to societies when general meetings are held after hours on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, Saturday mornings from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. or weekdays during normal business hours. These meetings are “free.” If a society would like to have a meeting on a different evening other than a Tuesday or Wednesday they are more than welcome to book that date. Please note that there may be charge of $40 for a labor fee if there is not another paid event reserved the night of the requested meeting. Reservations can be anytime up until 12:00am.
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● All societies MUST have a signed contract in the events department for all scheduled events BEFORE the event, even though the event rental is free. If the event department does not have a signed contract on file before an event, then the event will not be held on that day.
● Meetings that are scheduled on a regular basis may be reserved in advance but must be renewed each year. These reservations will not extend without a contract.
● All additional equipment requested for an event is billed to the society. (Example: long distance fees, audio-visual equipment, linens, skirting, flipcharts, etc.)
● A 15 percent catering site fee will be added to all food and beverage orders through the approved caterers list. No outside food or beverage permitted. All alcohol must go through the event department.
● Societies that have meetings after 5:00 p.m. will be allowed into the building 30 minutes prior to their meeting start time, banquets excluded. Other special arrangements can be made through the events department at (614) 292-3067.
● With the intent of effective use of the building we request that groups of less than five re-evaluate their need for a reservation of a rental room.
● Societies are allowed to schedule an event up to a two-year period from the date or origination if they are going to have a “paid” status. Paid status means they are having catering with the 15 percent fee, not that they pay room rental. If there is not a “paid” status then a club may reserve space up to 2 years but the “bumping clause” will be in affect, see “bumping clause” below.
●The event department is placing in affect a “bumping clause” for societies and clubs for their “meeting only” events. Up to 60 days prior to the event reservation the event department has the option to reassign the meeting to an alternative room or date. The Event Department will first call the society or club to discuss.
● A conference set-up fee of $75.00 will be assessed to all events that require more than one room.
● Housekeeping fees will now be assessed to weekend events for societies. These fees will be assessed to the groups that are larger than 25 guests and/or if there is catering reserved for the event. The minimum fee will be $150.00. Housekeeping is required and is reserved by OSU with a minimum of four hours. Additional fees may occur if the housekeeper is required to do additional work not feasible for completion within the four-hour shift. The events department has the right to adjust the fees if OSU changes the rate.
● If a society cancels their “paid” event less than 30 days before the scheduled event date a full room rental will be assessed to their group as a cancellation fee. Meetings-only require a two-week notice for cancellation. If less than two weeks are given then a $20.00 cancellation fee will be assessed to the group.
Request a speaker?
Browse the speakers list and complete the request form. Please note that our speakers are volunteers with busy schedules, we cannot guarantee their availability.
Publicize my event?
Share event details in your newsletter, on your Web site and through your listserv. Send a news release to local media. Use a phone tree to extend personal invitations. Be sure to notify OSUAA with this information.
Get name tags and other event materials?
Contact Craig Little or Heidi Glanzman
Conduct a post-event survey?
Collect e-mail addresses at your event and send a survey to attendees. Ask about pre-event publicity, registration, facility, food, speaker, program and solicit ideas for future events. SAMPLE
Be sure to survey those involved with the planning and execution of the event. Look for feedback on the planning process, timeline, flow of the event and other event details.
Report back to OSUAA?
Send your attendance counts to Heidi Glanzman.
STUDENT RECRUITMENT
Promote Ohio State to prospective students?
Take part in a calling nights (October – April). Alumni come to the undergraduate admissions office and partner with student telecounselors for an evening to make phone calls to prospective students. The alumni societies call students in the same area of study as the society. For more information contact Nadine Holmes.
Start an endowed scholarship?
College and department-based societies should work with their development officer to start an endowed scholarship ($50,000). Special interest societies should work with Tony Vidmar.
Raise money for our scholarship fund?
There are many ways to raise funds for your scholarship. Ask for donations at a reception honoring your scholarship winners. Add a line for scholarship donations to your event registration forms. Collect donations at a tailgate. Sell products in Marketplace. Conduct raffles and silent auctions at your events. Contact Tony Vidmar for additional ideas.
Recognize scholarship winners or organize a student welcome?
Be creative when thinking of student events. Whether hosting a pizza party, cookout or formal reception, make it fun for the students. Avoid serving alcohol if under-age students are invited.
Adhere to ethical standards when recruiting students?
As a member institution of the National Association of College Admissions Counselors (NACAC), the Admissions Office at The Ohio State University is committed to the Principles of Good Practice for this professional association.
The following excerpts from the 2005 Statement of Principles of Good Practice also relate to alumni volunteers in their recruitment roles. Member schools, colleges and universities, as well as other institutions, organizations and individuals dedicated to the pursuit of higher education, believe in the dignity, worth and potential of each and every student. To enable all students to make the dream of higher education a reality, these institutions and individuals develop and provide programs and services in postsecondary counseling, admission and financial aid. They strive to eliminate bias within the education system based on ethnicity, creed, gender, sexual orientation, age, political affiliation, national origin, and disability. They understand and value the importance of college counseling and view it as a fundamental aspect of their job as educators. They support, therefore, the following Statement of Principles of Good Practice of the National Association.
College and University members agree that they will:
Exercise appropriate responsibility for whom the institution involves in admission, promotional, and recruitment activities (including their alumni, coaches, students, faculty and other institutional representatives) and educate them about the principles outlined in this statement.
Speak forthrightly, accurately and comprehensively in representing their institutions to counseling personnel, prospective students, and their families. They will:
● State clearly the admission requirements of their institution.
● State clearly all deadlines for application.
● Furnish data describing the currently enrolled freshman class.
● Not use disparaging comparisons of secondary or postsecondary institutions.
● Refrain from recruiting students who are enrolled, registered, or have declared their intent or submitted contractual deposit with other institutions.”
● This represents only a small portion of the rules and regulations of the NACAC regarding student recruitment. This is not intended to replace the NACAC Guidelines pamphlet that is available through the Alumni Association. All alumni club and society members intending to recruit through the Alumni Association for Ohio State must familiarize themselves with NACAC rules and regulations. The complete Statement of Principles of Good Practice can be found on the NACAC policies page.
A word about prospective student-athletes
The NCAA is very strict about the extent of participation alumni can have with prospective student-athletes. Alumni are considered representatives of an institution's athletic interests, or boosters. NCAA rules prohibit boosters from making in-person recruiting contacts (on or off campus), or having written or telephone communications with a prospective student-athlete, the prospect's relatives or legal guardians. If you know of a talented prospect, your involvement must be limited to informing the appropriate head coach. In addition, please do not get involved, directly or indirectly, in making arrangements for or giving or offering to give any financial assistance or other benefits to prospects, their relatives or legal guardians. Any violations of these rules will impact the prospect's eligibility to participate in intercollegiate athletics at Ohio State.
Adhere to ethical standards when awarding scholarships?
If a society member's relative, by blood or marriage, applies for a society scholarship said member must recuse himself/herself from the scholarship selection process.
AWARDS
Win an award for a group program or nominate an exceptional society member for an award?
Club and society award applications are typically posted to the OSUAA Web site in May or June. You will receive an e-mail notification when the application is available. Awards are presented at the Alumni Leaders’ Conference.
MISCELLANEOUS
Get a photo in Buckshot?
Ohio State Alumni Magazine is accepting photos of alumni and societies in action for a recurrent section called Buckshot. Photos may be submitted via mail (Buckshot, 2200 Olentangy River Road, Columbus, OH 43210-1035) or e-mail (Hansen@ohiostatealumni.org). Please include a description of the photo along with the names of those pictured. Not all photos will run in the magazine. Increase your chances by sending a clear, high-resolution photo that depicts action or a unique pose. Digital photos should be 300 dpi and in .jpg or .tiff format. Mailed photos cannot be returned.
Advertise a product in Marketplace?
Marketplace is used to advertise products that benefit your group’s scholarship program online or in the Ohio State Alumni Magazine. Marketplace is only open to products; raffles, lotteries or other fundraisers that are considered a game of chance will not be accepted due to postal regulations. Contact Angela McBride to arrange to have your product included.
Get group tickets for football and other athletic events?Chartered alumni societies have the opportunity to submit a request for a block of football tickets to a home, non-conference game prior to the start of school. Tickets are available to you as a way to enhance your program, thus you must hold an alumni event in conjunction with the football game, such as a Friday night reception, a Saturday pre-game tailgate, or a reunion weekend.
The Outreach office will send an email with the official request form sometime during winter quarter. Alumni societies must meet the eligibility requirements to be able to submit the form. There is no guarantee that tickets will be available, it is all subject to availability. All requests are then reviewed by the staff and then submitted to the athletic ticket office for approval. If approved, alumni societies will receive an invoice directly from the ticket office. Tickets will be available to the society two-to-three weeks prior to the game. All requests must be submitted through the outreach office. Any request sent directly to the ticket office from a society will be sent back to the outreach office.
ADDITION INFORMATION ABOUT FOOTBALL TICKETS
Why do alumni need to be a member of the Alumni Association and our Club/Society? The tickets that the Association receives to accommodate your group come from the alumni allotment, as defined by the athletic council. It is possible that a dues-paying member of the Association could be denied his/her application if the demand exceeded the supply. We cannot have tickets going to non-members or friends of your society.
Is there an exception? Alumni who make an annual donation of $55-2,499 to The Ohio State University Foundation are eligible to apply for tickets.
Why are alumni limited to two tickets? This policy is consistent with that of the athletic ticket office. Only one application per household is allowed, even if both spouses are members of the Alumni Association.
What is the priority? Specified class reunion years who are members of the Association and your society come first, followed by those alumni who meet the criteria and wish to purchase tickets.
Can I sell extra tickets to anybody? If you have extra tickets after your deadline, please utilize the following procedure, in order:
- Check with the outreach office to see if any other groups need tickets
- Write or email your registered attendees to see if anyone would like additional tickets
- Fill reservations of those alumni who do not meet the criteria
- Check with current faculty, staff, and students from your special interest group
- As a last resort, check with the Alumni Association.
Can we auction off a pair of tickets from our allotment? No. The tickets you receive cannot be used to raise money for your society. We understand that this might be an easy way to raise money for your scholarship fund, but the block of tickets that you receive are to enhance your event.
Which tickets can we raffle or auction? Any personal tickets that alumni, faculty or staff donate; or your group's Presidents Club tickets can be used in silent auctions or raffles. To maximize your potential, raffle or auction off the opportunity to purchase the tickets at face value. Please note that tickets cannot be sold for more than face value.
What about away games? During the ticket request phase societies are notified about opportunities to submit requests for an away-game ticket block. Requests are to be filed with the society office with approval coming from the athletic ticket office. Any request sent directly to the ticket office will be sent back to the alumni society office.
When it comes to questions about football tickets, never assume, always ask. Contact Craig Little at little@ohiostatealumni.org, (614) 292-2371, or (800) 862-5827 for your ticket questions.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
After the men’s basketball schedule is released, an e-mail will be sent to society presidents and CARL’s with the opportunity to request a block of tickets to a men’s home basketball game, most likely a non-conference game while the students are on break. All requests will then be submitted to the athletic ticket office for approval. There is usually a quick turnaround once approval has been given and invoices are due. As with football, there is no guarantee your request will be approved, as it is based on availability.
Away game requests: Ohio State only receives 100 tickets to away basketball games, thus group orders for away games are usually not accepted. The only exception is if the Buckeyes are playing in a large venue where plenty of tickets are available. You will be notified if this is a possibility.
ALL OTHER SPORTS
Home games - Alumni societies can work directly with the athletic ticket office to purchase a block of tickets for home events. Most requests are for women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey, and baseball. Discounts are available for group orders. You can also purchase directly on-line at www.hangonsloopy.com.
Away games - Depending on the venue, you will want to work directly with the ticket office of that school or the venue hosting the event. If you are having trouble securing tickets, please contact the alumni society office. We will contact the ticket office for you to see if there is anything they can help us with.
BOWL AND NCAA TOURNAMENT TICKETS
Contact the outreach office for availability.
