UH alumni listing a hit
By Beverly Creamer
Advertiser Education Writer
University of Hawai'i alumni have until 11 a.m. Friday to order the first-ever alumni directory, which will list personal information of about 61,000 UH alumni.
• Call (800) 877-6554 by 11 a.m. Friday Hawai'i time • Four options are available, including: $69.99 for a soft-cover edition; $79.99 for a hard-cover edition; $89.99 for a soft-cover edition with a CD-Rom; $99.99 for a hard-cover edition with a CD-Rom.
Kevin Takamori, associate vice president for alumni relations for the University of Hawai'i Foundation, said the Mainland company publishing the UH directory has extended the deadline to July 1 to give stragglers a final chance to order.
To order an alumni directory:
So far 10,500 directories have been sold, with $17,000 in proceeds going to UH to pay for an online alumni community that will cost about $25,000 a year to operate.
"Our initial projection was 6,000," said Takamori, who is pleased at the number of sales.
The online community also is thriving. From a total of 420 registered users in March, it has grown to 3,070 now — or nearly 1,000 new users a month.
"Only alumni have access to the online directory," said Takamori. "That enables them to search for classmates and friends also in the directory."
Takamori said they have done everything possible to make the directory secure, including requiring a user identification number for each alumni who signs up.
Alumni may register by e-mailing: alumnihelp@uhf.hawaii.edu to ask for verification and a user ID number. Each individual's alumni status will be checked. Alumni may also go to www.UHalumni.hawaii.edu, which offers information about registering.
The online directory offers class notes that can be updated by alumni themselves, as well as individual pages for each of the 40 alumni chapters around the world.
"Each one has a Web page they can use to announce upcoming events," said Takamori. "People can now register online with a credit card for the various events such as a homecoming reception."
Dues for recent graduates — up to five years out of school — are $25 a year, while dues for older grads are $50 a year for a single and $60 for a joint membership. A life membership is $750 for a single and $1,000 for a joint. Faculty and staff within the UH system, East West Center, RCUH and the UH Foundation are also offered the $25 membership rate.
Members are offered a variety of benefits including special prices on some travel and dining, two-for-one tickets for some UH games, and some insurance and banking discounts.
"We're partnering more closely with athletics," said Takamori.
Reach Beverly Creamer at bcreamer@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8013.
