About | Benefits | Levels | Become a Sustaining/Life Member | Support UCAA | FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do people join and support the UC Alumni Association?
UC alumni and friends choose to support the UC Alumni Association through Sustaining or Life Memberships in order to help enable the organization’s important work of connecting UC alumni to each other and their university. They also enjoy access to a full range of benefits that add value to their UC alumni experience. Regardless of their individual reasons, they feel a sense of belonging and responsibility to help make UC greater in this crucial way. Click here to learn about the benefits of Sustaining and Life Memberships.
return to top
Am I already a member of the UC Alumni Association if I attended or graduated from UC?
Not necessarily. All alumni receive some ongoing communication from the university (assuming we have accurate contact information) and are eligible for certain services and opportunities. However, by giving financially to UC, in any amount and to any part of the university, you automatically become a member of the UC Alumni Association, and thus are eligible to receive additional communications and opportunities.
return to top
If I donate to another UC organization, does that make me an Alumni Association member?
Yes, and you’re entitled a certain level of services as a member. However, by giving directly to the UC Alumni Association and becoming a Sustaining or Life Member, you can access a broader array of benefits while knowing that you’re directly responsible for enhancing the Alumni Association’s engagement efforts within the UC family.
return to top
How do I become a Sustaining Member of the UC Alumni Association?
To become a UCAA Sustaining Member and gain access to a full range of benefits, simply make a gift directly to the UC Alumni Association each year. The minimum annual gift is $50 for an individual Sustaining Membership, and $75 for a family Sustaining Membership, which covers a spouse/partner and all children age 18 and under.
If you’re a new graduate (defined as within one year of receiving your initial UC degree), you can become a Sustaining Member for as little as $20 (or get a family Sustaining Membership for $45), covering your first year.
You can become a Sustaining Member online, via mail, in person, or on the phone. For information, call 513-556-4344 locally or 1-877-4-UCALUM (482-2586) toll-free.
return to top
How do I renew my UC Alumni Association Sustaining Membership?
Sustaining Members should receive a renewal notice about two months before their Sustaining Membership is due to expire. Sending your payment at that time ensures that the Sustaining Membership will not lapse. You can also renew online, or feel free to e-mail Alumni.Association@uc.edu, or call to inquire about your membership status — 513-556-4344 locally or 1-877-4-UCALUM (482-2586) toll-free.
return to top
How do I become a Life Member of the UC Alumni Association?
Life Memberships are available for $1,500 for an individual, or $2,000 for a family, which covers a spouse/partner and all children age 18 and under. Either option can be paid in four installments over the course of one year. You’ll receive the full range of benefits that Sustaining Members receive, in perpetuity, and you’ll make a greater statement about the value of UC and the UC Alumni Association to you.
Become a Life Member online, via mail, in person or over the phone. For additional information, call 513-556-4344 locally or 1-877-4-UCALUM (482-2586) toll-free.
return to top
How does the Alumni Association use my annual Sustaining Membership gift, or my one-time Life Membership gift?
Gifts received through Sustaining and Life Memberships support the actual work of the UC Alumni Association — creating and delivering valuable services to alumni, staging events that foster connections within the UC family, generating communications to keep alumni informed, etc. In this way, Sustaining and Life Members literally allow the organization to carry out its mission.
return to top
What if I get a Sustaining Membership renewal invoice but I already paid, or if there seems to be a discrepancy in my Sustaining Membership status or balance?
Often payments and invoices/statements cross in the mail, or during the payment processing period. And sometimes mistakes occur in the record-keeping among 230,000+ alumni. To confirm your Sustaining Membership account status or inquire about any membership or payment-related issue, e-mail Alumni.Association@uc.edu, or call 513-556-4344 locally or 1-877-4-UCALUM (482-2586) toll-free.
return to top
Does a Sustaining or Life Membership make me a member in my college alumni association and constituent group alumni groups (such as the African American Alumni, Young Alumni, Honors Alumni, etc.)?
Yes. The UC Alumni Association is the overarching organization for all UC alumni. It works in collaboration with other alumni groups to enhance everyone’s alumni experience. Some alumni feel their strongest affinity to UC comes through certain specific groups, while others feel their primary connection is with the university as a whole. Either way, they benefit from supporting and being involved through the UC Alumni Association as the central point for all of UC’s alumni relations efforts.
return to top
How do I get a new UC Alumni Association membership card?
Only Sustaining and Life Members are issued cards. If you need to replace a lost or damaged card and your account is current, contact the UC Alumni Association by calling (513)556-4344 or (877)4-UCALUM toll-free, or e-mail Alumni.Association@uc.edu.
return to top
How will it be clear that my Sustaining Membership is current?
When you make your annual Sustaining Membership gift to the UC Alumni Association, you’ll first receive a UCAA Sustaining Membership card. A sticker is sent to each new or newly renewed Sustaining Member, and affixing the sticker to the membership card will indicate that a Sustaining Membership is up-to-date. If you need a replacement membership card, contact the UC Alumni Association.
return to top
Who can help me with troubleshooting or questions about my Alumni Association membership?
Contact the UC Alumni Association’s Member Services staff by calling 513-556-4344, 1-877-4-UCALUM (482-2586) toll-free, e-mailing Alumni.Association@uc.edu or stopping by the Myers Alumni Center on campus.
return to top
Where/What is my Alumni/Membership ID Number?
Your Alumni/Membership ID Number is a number unique to each individual that is used to identify alumni and donors in our database. You can find your ID Number on the front of your membership card and/or key fob.
NOTE: Registration for inCircle, the online community exclusively for members of the UC family, requires a 10-digit ID number. Be sure to add the necessary zeroes in front of your Alumni ID number to allow you to register successfully.
return to top
How do you define “alumni”?
An alumnus is someone who attended UC, whether or not he or she received a degree.
return to top
What is the difference between the UC Alumni Association and the UC Foundation?
The UC Foundation is charged with the specific, critical role of cultivating financial gifts to the university from alumni, friends, corporations and other donors. On the large scale, it provides the private funding that enables UC to keep doing great things, especially as direct support from the State of Ohio declines.
In contrast, the UC Alumni Association’s role is to encourage and facilitate engagement by alumni — with each other and their university — in whatever ways are most meaningful to them. That can be through attending events, participating in networks, volunteering, contributing financially, etc.
However, the UC Alumni Association needs dedicated private funding to sustain and enhance its important work. Therefore, a philanthropic membership program is in place to cultivate ongoing support through Sustaining and Life Memberships, while major gifts are also sought to elevate the Alumni Association’s performance and impact.
return to top
How are matching gifts handled with respect to UC Alumni Association Sustaining or Life Memberships?
Some companies match donations, including membership gifts made by their employers. The company’s matching gift form must be completed and sent with the individual gift. Donors are entitled to income tax deductions for their individual gifts only, but the UC Alumni Association will recognized the donor for the total amount of both the personal and the matching gifts.
return to top
How do taxes affect Sustaining and Life Membership gifts?
The UC Alumni Association is registered as a 501(c)3 charitable organization with the Internal Revenue Service, identification number 31-1309846; therefore, donations, including Sustaining and Life Membership gifts, are tax deductible to the full extent provided by law. (Payments for registration for specific events, merchandise, tickets, etc., are not tax deductible.) Tax receipts are issued for all tax deductible payments received.
return to top
Print-Friendly version
|
