June 2014
At
the request of Class President, Robert P. Wright, The Class of 1972
Associates Program was formalized in late 2012.
The
Program’s primary role is to communicate personally and
respectfully with Class Associates. Associates are the surviving
spouses or other self-designated parties interested in maintaining a
relationship with the Class of 1972. The goal of this communication
with Associates is to offer them the opportunity to become more
involved - as ongoing members of the Class of ’72 community.
The
1972 Class Associates Program will be managed by at least one Class
of 1972 Alumnus who is appointed by the Class President.
The
Chair (Co-Chair) will form and support two advisory groups:
1.
One advisory group (Associates Advisory Group) will include Class
members, especially those with ecclesiastical skills, and spouses of
deceased Class members (Associates). The advisory group will review
the structure, tone, and content of communications to Class
Associates. It will additionally identify and engage religious
ministers to perform Class Memorial Services at major reunions.
2.
The second advisory group (Hospitality Group) will focus on
hospitality. This group will include the Chair(s) and three to five
Associates to advise, plan, and facilitate the reception of
Associates attending Class events. The group’s intent will be to
invite, and personally greet Class Associates at our Class events,
while deferring to their desired levels of engagement in these
activities.
Additional
responsibilities of the Associates Program:
The
Chair(s) will coordinate with the Class Secretary to achieve timely
notification of classmate deaths. They will share information
received to prepare the PAW Obituaries and Class Memorial Services.
The
Chair(s) will coordinate with the Class of 1972 Webmaster concerning
the personal information and contact preferences of the Class
Associates, and to ensure that the memorial for each deceased
Classmate is posted to the Class website in a timely manner.
General
Class communications offered to Associates:
Communications
managed by the Class Associates Co-Chairs:
Handwritten
note to deceased alumnus/alumna spouse immediately on notice of
Classmate’s death offering condolences on behalf of the Class of
1972.
Phone
call to Class Associate reaching out and offering the Associate the
opportunity to continue their participation within the Class and
Princeton family. Call may be timed to introduce the posting of PAW
memorial.
Support
the Class Secretary in obtaining the information to be included in
the Classmate’s PAW memorial.
Four
to six months after the PAW memorial posting, a general letter will
be mailed to the ‘new’ Class Associate outlining the Associate’s
relationship with the Class of 1972, the Class support of his or her
PAW subscription, and our hope that the Associate will join the rest
of the Class in any of its ongoing activities and efforts. For those
interested, the letter will introduce the opportunity for Associates
to support the varied development efforts of the Class and
University This letter will reinforce the value and tradition of the
Annual Service of Remembrance on Alumni Day and the Class Memorial
Service offered at the Class of 1972 major reunions.
Alumni
Day is a mid-winter celebration that offers a glimpse of campus life
when the University is in session. Featuring lectures by alumni
award winners and Princeton’s top faculty, the annual Service of
Remembrance, family programming, workshops and campus tours, Alumni
Day provides an opportunity for alumni to connect back to the
University, to one another, to our broader family and current
students.
Princeton
University’s Annual Memorial Service is a cherished part of Alumni
Day. First held in 1919, the Service of Remembrance pays tribute to
alumni, students and members of the Princeton University faculty and
staff who have passed away during the previous calendar year