10.   ALUMNI ASSOCIATION KEEPS IN TOUCH WITH 38,500 PEOPLE

      The largest non-academic membership organization in Kentucky
dedicated to educational scholarship is the University Alumni Asso-
ciation. It has an active membership of 7,100 who contributed more
than $117,000 to the Alumni Fund in 1969 and an additional $39,000
to other University funds. The Association's purposes are to promote
the University, keep alumni informed, assist in interpreting UK to
the state and the nation, and encourage loyalty and closer bonds of
fellowship among its members. Contributors to the Alumni Association
fund live throughout the world, from Canada to Kuwait. In 1969,
contributions were received from 114 of Kentucky's 120 counties, 18
foreign countries, the District of Columbia, and all states except
New Hampshire. "We have the mailing address of some 38,500 people
who have graduated from UK, and we encourage people to help us locate
those we haven't heard from for several years," says executive secre-
tary Jay Brumfield. Cross indices are maintained for special mailing
purposes. For example, letters can be sent to any graduating class,
or to all law graduates, Brumfield said. He added that "we sponsor
several events which make up the social highlights of our year. A
buffet dinner is served at the Alumni House prior to each football
game, except Homecoming, and we have a homecoming luncheon in the
Student Center Ballroom preceding the homecoming football game. After
the game, the homecoming dance is traditionally held at the Phoenix
Hotel."

      Class reunions are held each year in the spring for former
students who were graduated50, 40 and 25 year-s previously. The re-
unions are held at the Alumni House during the week preceding the
commencement. A 36-member board of directors conducts the business
of the Association and sets policy. Twelve members are elected each
year, thus providing a turnover of about a third each year. Twelve
new members currently are being added to the board and the full board
in 1971 will consist of 48 people, with 12 being elected each year to
four-year terms. Members include the immediate past president, the
elected alumni members of the Board of Trustees, three members-at-large
appointed by the Association president, and one representative from
each of the approved professional colleges, with the rest being select-
ed by the alumni members via mailed ballot. Officers for 1970 are:
Joe C. Creason, Louisville, president; J. Paul Nickell, Lexington, vice
president; Mrs. Joe Morris, Lexington, treasurer, and Brumfield, who
serves as secretary in addition to directing the office of alumni
affairs.

      Two awards programs are conducted annually by the Association.
One is for teachers, in which three teachers from the Lexington campus
and three from the Community College System are given awards of $500
each. Entitled Great Teacher Awards, recipients are chosen by an
alumni committee from a list of nominees submitted by Omicron Delta
Kappa and Mortar Board Leadership honoraries at UK-Lexington, and
by the student councils at the community colleges. The second program
is the presentation of awards to alumni members who have given time
and service to the organization beyond what is normally expected or
required. Four or five alumni are selected each yew for these awards.
Scholarship funds provided by the Association totaled more than
$30,000 in 1969, 26.6 per cent of the total contributions coming from
the membership.