AOGA President's Letter
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Open Letter from AOGA President
John A. Cassese '76
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February, 2006
Dear Brothers,
I hope you share my view that we are beginning a very exciting time in our forty (40) year existence! Clearly, the undergrads are on a very strong path for growth and success. We boast the largest house on campus and have earned accolades for both our philanthropic projects and academic achievements. The Chapter pledged twenty nine (29) men this winter quarter and activated fifteen (15) new Brothers from the fall quarter pledge class. Elections were held several weeks ago and a new group of talented undergraduate officers will take the helm of the chapter for the next twelve (12) months. This is remarkable, indeed, and I always welcome an opportunity to share news from 20 South College with you.
However, the main purpose of my letter this month is to talk about the future of The Alpha Omega Graduate Association. AOGA must now find its own path for continued growth and success—a new path that will take us into the next decade and beyond. The first step in the process took place earlier this month.
Alpha Omega Fijis serving on the Board of Chapter Advisers, House Corporation and Graduate Association, representing all four (4) decades, converged at the Ohio State Student Union in Columbus Ohio on Saturday, February 11 to discuss, strategize and set forth a vision for the future of The Alpha Omega Graduate Association.
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Grads Attending Combined House Corp-BCA Meeting in Columbus, OH 2-11-06
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As you all know, since the formation of our chapter forty (40) years ago, the AOGA has served multiple roles (BCA, House Corporation, Graduate Association), with many individuals on the Board wearing multiple hats. This was necessary at the time as we did not have a large pool of Graduate Brothers to draw from in and around the Columbus/Cincinnati/Cleveland Areas. We are now at a point in our development, however, where we have graduated 672 Brothers, residing in virtually every state in the nation and around the world. Today, the internet allows us to accomplish many things from afar, where onsite visits or meetings were essential only 5 – 10 years ago.
Consequently, the outcome from our Columbus Meeting is the adoption of a strategic plan for the future that calls for greater decentralization of responsibility and a separation of our various functions into two distinct organizations, a BCA Function and a House Corporation/Graduate Association Function. We now want to deliberately move from a structure where AOGA Officers and Directors handle day-to-day operations (time consuming) to one where many of the more time-intensive responsibilities of operating the organization are outsourced to professionals residing in Athens, with AOGA Board Members providing oversight and strategic thinking. For example, the Board Club & Finance (disbursements, receivables & employment/income tax preparation) functions are now being handled by local professionals, with several Board Members monitoring these tasks.
There will still be some responsibilities that necessitate periodic travel to Athens. Working with, and mentoring, the undergraduate chapter cannot be accomplished effectively by long distance. The Board of Chapter Advisers will need to be comprised of Brothers who are willing to give of their time periodically to meet with and guide chapter members.
Admittedly, this strategic plan will require more involvement from a larger pool of talented and dedicated Fijis, who are willing to offer their specific skills and talents. By reorganizing our centralized operations into smaller, manageable tasks, the time commitment required from any Brother should be much less demanding going forward.
Brothers, if you will take the time to review the strategic plan you will see that we have divided the responsibilities into categories based on operational functions. If we are to grow, prosper and—dare I say -- survive—the AOGA cannot operate under the same model that it has used in the past. We need to spread the responsibilities for the Association—both the House Corporation and the Board of Chapter Advisors ---among a larger number of talented and dedicated brothers who are willing to get involved and help move us forward.
Are you willing to be one of those Brothers?
Please take a moment to review the strategic plan for both the House Corporation and Board of Chapter Advisors. I hope that you will find an area of interest to you and one where you believe that you can contribute and make a difference in the future of the organization. Please drop me an email (john.cassese@concentriccommunications.com) or give me a call at my office (212-209-4521) or on my cell phone (212-495-9494) and let’s discuss it. Our goal is to have every one of these areas filled by Pig Dinner.
If you have any questions or comments, I hope that you will be in touch. Until I see you at Pig Dinner, all the best to you!
Warmest Fraternal Regards,
John
Perge!
John Cassese
Principal
CONCENTRICCOMMUNICATIONS
Office 212. 209. 4521
Fax 212. 209. 4543
Cell 212. 495. 9494
AOGA President's Letter
|
Open Letter from AOGA President
John A. Cassese '76
|
February, 2006
Dear Brothers,
I hope you share my view that we are beginning a very exciting time in our forty (40) year existence! Clearly, the undergrads are on a very strong path for growth and success. We boast the largest house on campus and have earned accolades for both our philanthropic projects and academic achievements. The Chapter pledged twenty nine (29) men this winter quarter and activated fifteen (15) new Brothers from the fall quarter pledge class. Elections were held several weeks ago and a new group of talented undergraduate officers will take the helm of the chapter for the next twelve (12) months. This is remarkable, indeed, and I always welcome an opportunity to share news from 20 South College with you.
However, the main purpose of my letter this month is to talk about the future of The Alpha Omega Graduate Association. AOGA must now find its own path for continued growth and success—a new path that will take us into the next decade and beyond. The first step in the process took place earlier this month.
Alpha Omega Fijis serving on the Board of Chapter Advisers, House Corporation and Graduate Association, representing all four (4) decades, converged at the Ohio State Student Union in Columbus Ohio on Saturday, February 11 to discuss, strategize and set forth a vision for the future of The Alpha Omega Graduate Association.
|
Grads Attending Combined House Corp-BCA Meeting in Columbus, OH 2-11-06
|
As you all know, since the formation of our chapter forty (40) years ago, the AOGA has served multiple roles (BCA, House Corporation, Graduate Association), with many individuals on the Board wearing multiple hats. This was necessary at the time as we did not have a large pool of Graduate Brothers to draw from in and around the Columbus/Cincinnati/Cleveland Areas. We are now at a point in our development, however, where we have graduated 672 Brothers, residing in virtually every state in the nation and around the world. Today, the internet allows us to accomplish many things from afar, where onsite visits or meetings were essential only 5 – 10 years ago.
Consequently, the outcome from our Columbus Meeting is the adoption of a strategic plan for the future that calls for greater decentralization of responsibility and a separation of our various functions into two distinct organizations, a BCA Function and a House Corporation/Graduate Association Function. We now want to deliberately move from a structure where AOGA Officers and Directors handle day-to-day operations (time consuming) to one where many of the more time-intensive responsibilities of operating the organization are outsourced to professionals residing in Athens, with AOGA Board Members providing oversight and strategic thinking. For example, the Board Club & Finance (disbursements, receivables & employment/income tax preparation) functions are now being handled by local professionals, with several Board Members monitoring these tasks.
There will still be some responsibilities that necessitate periodic travel to Athens. Working with, and mentoring, the undergraduate chapter cannot be accomplished effectively by long distance. The Board of Chapter Advisers will need to be comprised of Brothers who are willing to give of their time periodically to meet with and guide chapter members.
Admittedly, this strategic plan will require more involvement from a larger pool of talented and dedicated Fijis, who are willing to offer their specific skills and talents. By reorganizing our centralized operations into smaller, manageable tasks, the time commitment required from any Brother should be much less demanding going forward.
Brothers, if you will take the time to review the strategic plan you will see that we have divided the responsibilities into categories based on operational functions. If we are to grow, prosper and—dare I say -- survive—the AOGA cannot operate under the same model that it has used in the past. We need to spread the responsibilities for the Association—both the House Corporation and the Board of Chapter Advisors ---among a larger number of talented and dedicated brothers who are willing to get involved and help move us forward.
Are you willing to be one of those Brothers?
Please take a moment to review the strategic plan for both the House Corporation and Board of Chapter Advisors. I hope that you will find an area of interest to you and one where you believe that you can contribute and make a difference in the future of the organization. Please drop me an email (john.cassese@concentriccommunications.com) or give me a call at my office (212-209-4521) or on my cell phone (212-495-9494) and let’s discuss it. Our goal is to have every one of these areas filled by Pig Dinner.
If you have any questions or comments, I hope that you will be in touch. Until I see you at Pig Dinner, all the best to you!
Warmest Fraternal Regards,
John
Perge!
John Cassese
Principal
CONCENTRICCOMMUNICATIONS
Office 212. 209. 4521
Fax 212. 209. 4543
Cell 212. 495. 9494