Reunion Treasurer and Registration Chair

After the reunion co-chairs, the reunion treasurer and registration chair are two of the most important positions on the reunion committee. These positions are critical to the success of the reunion. The duties are not easily divisible, so one Harvard or Radcliffe classmate should serve as the reunion treasurer and/or registration chair. The Harvard or Radcliffe class treasurer may be appointed to fill this role, or the reunion co-chairs may choose another classmate. The reunion treasurer and registration chair must be available in the two months prior to the June reunion to receive the registration forms and checks as they are returned by classmates, record this data accurately, deposit the checks, and pay reunion bills as they become due. However, with the advent of on-line registration, much of the manual labor previously required of the registration chair has been removed.

Specific duties of the reunion treasurer and registration chair include the following:

1. The reunion treasurer opens a bank/checking account for the reunion using the tax I. D. number of the class. If you do not know what that number is, the HAA keeps a list on file. Funds to open this account can come from the regular class account. Although some classes have handled reunion financial activity through their regular class account, it is recommended that a separate reunion account be established in the name of the Harvard and Radcliffe Class reunion. After the reunion, any surplus in this account should then be returned to the Harvard and Radcliffe class treasury. Joint reunion classes that are separate Harvard and Radcliffe classes may wish to leave the joint account open between reunions to fund joint activities and to have funds available at the start of planning for the next reunion. In addition to the reunion treasurer, the reunion co-chairs and a regular Harvard and/or Radcliffe class officer should have access to the reunion account. It is also a good idea to have an administrator from the HAA as co-signature.
2. The reunion treasurer works closely with the reunion co-chairs, the individual event chairs, and the HAA and RA staffs to develop the reunion budget with all expenses and contingencies included. After the budget is completed, the treasurer and reunion co-chairs decide on the pricing strategy for the registration mailing. See Section VI on the reunion budget for more on this subject and see Appendix iv for a worksheet.
3. The reunion treasurer works with HAA staff to make sure all reunion bills are paid as they become due. Payments can be made directly from the class account or by the HAA using the receipts from the on-line registration form. If deposits are required prior to the reunion in amounts that exceed available funds, the treasurer may ask the HAA for advances to cover these deposits.
4. The reunion treasurer receives all “paper” registration returns and checks from classmates as they sign up for the reunion, deposits the checks, and turns the registration forms over to the registration chair. It is also possible for the registration chair to receive the “paper” returns and submit the checks to the reunion treasurer. The reunion replies can be directed to an office or home address, whichever is most convenient for the designated recipient. Most registration chairs create reunion databases on their computers to simplify the registration and record keeping process. Important information to keep updated includes the following:
   1. An alphabetical list of all that have returned registration forms, including the events for which they are registered.
   2. A detailed count for each event so accurate guarantees may be given to purveyors at the appropriate deadlines.
   3. The database used should be compatible with the one generated by the on-line registration form.
5. As the reunion draws near, the registration chair should plan for an organized registration process from the beginning of the reunion and at each event to follow. The registration chair should enlist the help of classmates to prepare packets for each reunion participant including badges, event tickets, up-to-date schedule, maps, and any other information deemed appropriate. The more complete these packets are prior to the reunion, the simpler and faster registration will proceed at the early events. In addition to the registration packets, separate lists of classmates attending by event should be available as a cross-reference. All should be planned so that someone other than the registration chair can understand and oversee the registration process when the registration chair is not available. This gives the treasurer and/or registration chair an opportunity to enjoy the reunion.
6. For registration itself, the treasurer and/or registration chair should recruit several committee members to cover registration at each event. Four or more should staff the registration desk for early events. The HAA will assign two students, at no cost to the class, to help you throughout the reunion. A classmate to assist the student help and greet classmates as they arrive, however, should always oversee the registration desk. The registration chair (not the student help) is responsible for making sure the registration materials get moved from one event to the next. Event chairs and registration chairs should arrive early at each location.
7. At the end of the reunion, the treasurer's responsibilities continue until the reunion accounts are closed, all bills are paid, and a final report has been submitted to reunion officers and the HAA.

It should be clear from the foregoing job description that the reunion treasurer and registration chair must be highly organized and disciplined people with the time necessary to manage the financial and registration details of the reunion. In order to keep the job from becoming too great a burden for one person, as the reunion approaches, it is a good idea to recruit classmates to help prepare registration materials and to staff each registration table with committee members during the reunion. Computer assistance and the treasurer's or registration chair's own office help, if available, can also lighten the workload.

Fall Reunions (30th, 40th, 45th)