The Lincoln University Board of Curators is officially disengaging with its alumni association. The curators originally suspended the relationship with the Lincoln University of Missouri Alumni Association, or LUAA, in June.
"While the termination of our relationship with LUAA is unfortunate, we are confident that it will not impede our efforts at expanding alumni engagement," Board of Curators President Victor Pasley said. "We are determined to strengthen our relationship with key individual alumni chapters to continue those partnerships on behalf of the institution we love."
The university plans to establish an alumni council to aid relationships with the school's alumni but said it is "in no way a replacement for a National Alumni Association."
But what are alumni associations, and whom are they meant to serve?
As alumni graduate and find stability, warm feelings toward their alma mater can translate to major funding contributions. Alumni organizations can serve as hubs for fostering school spirit among alumni and bringing in support, both vocal and financial, to bolster the university.
Fundraising for the future
Alumni donations account for about a quarter of all annual funds raised by universities in the United States, according to the Council for Advancement and Support of Education. The council's Ann Kaplan said nearly 10% of all university alumni are engaged in philanthropy at their alma mater after more than 50 years as alumni.
The Mizzou Alumni Association said it raises more than $750,000 annually for merit- and need-based scholarships, making it the largest single contributor to scholarship funds within the university.
At Central State University, Office of Alumni Relations Director Keith Aaron Perkins has held a dual appointment as the executive director of CSU's alumni association for 16 years.
Perkins said that because CSU is a Historically Black College/University, like LU, the relationship between the school and its alumni holds special significance.
"Over 137 years ago, a lot of us wouldn't have the privilege of getting a degree," Perkins said. "That's something that we take pride in as graduates, for the fact that we graduated from an HBCU and we went on and we thrived."
Past turmoil between LU and its alumni association
The LU Board of Curators suspended the school's relationship with the LUAA June 10, citing "financial, management and operations" concerns.
The university demanded an independent financial audit of the LUAA for the past two fiscal years and an embargo on public criticism of the curators.
In its Thursday announcement, the curators said the LUAA failed to meet a Sept. 1 deadline for the audit and that the university had attempted to reach a memorandum of understanding with the alumni association since early 2022. Memoranda of understanding, the university said, are typically used to "clarify relationships between universities and affiliated organizations."
Sherman Bonds, LUAA president, said earlier this month that the LUAA was hoping to come to an understanding with the Board of Curators.
"As we enter this period of dissent between the institution and the association, there were some calls to pause and say, 'Where are we?'" Bonds said. "But the essential point of the membership and the chapters was to move forward."
In addition to the organization's suspended relationship with the university, Bonds said he was not invited to speak at LU's 2024 graduation in May, despite many LUAA presidents being invited to speak in years past.
"You could perceive that as a direct response to the position and statements that I articulated as a need for change," Bonds said.
Bonds said the suspended relationship was the first time the curators have acted in an administrative capacity, a capacity he said was previously reserved for the university president.
"We operate under guidelines for constitution and bylaws, and that's what governs our organization, what we do with our finances and management," Bonds said. "No authority outside of the organization gets to do that."
The LUAA bylaws make no mention of oversight by the curators.
The June suspension came three months after the LUAA issued a vote of no confidence against the curators over an investigation after the death of LU administrator Antoinette "Bonnie" Candia-Bailey.
Candia-Bailey died by suicide Jan. 8 after sending a multi-page letter to LU President John Moseley, the Board of Curators and alumni. The letter accused Moseley of bullying and harassment.
Candia-Bailey was fired from LU on Jan. 3. Her termination letter said she was fired "due to your continued failure to appropriately supervise your staff and continued failure to properly supervise the area of student affairs at Lincoln University," according to the Chronicle of Higher Education, which obtained a copy of the letter.
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