The alumni chair position is critical. Fraternities preach a lifetime of brotherhood, then forget about their brothers once they graduate. While the graduated brother’s relationship with the fraternity will forever be different, they still want to be kept abreast of how the fraternity is doing.
The fraternity needs to assign a brother to be responsible for keeping in touch with the alumni. Their main duty should be to put out a newsletter once a semester. The newsletter should be posted on the fraternity’s website and the fraternity’s website only. This will force much more traffic to the site and make it a more important part of the fraternity. Also, this will reduce postage and printing fees. When the newsletter is complete, all the chapter has to do is email the link to the alumni (and whomever they think would be interested in reading it).
The content of the newsletter should be tailored to what the graduated alumni would be interested in. They would want to know how the chapter is doing in recruitment and athletics. They would want to know if the fraternity did anything out of the ordinary this semester. They will also want to know what the fraternity plans on doing next semester and what the fraternities goals are. And above all else, they will want to see a lot of pictures of what the chapter has been doing.
To make this job easier, the alumni chair might want to task brothers to write about specific events. Also, be sure to have each pledge write a little something about themselves.
If there is a financial need the fraternity has, this would be the time to ask for it. Doing so in a professional manner while explaining the need and the reason why the chapter is asking will go a long way in the eyes of the alumni. You will be surprised how many alums will help out if they realize their money is going to something needed and worthwhile.