Reunions

Are you ready to make some new memories? If your are interested in having a reunion, here is some information that will help the planning process. In order to arrange a reunion you must first complete the Reunion Request Form. Once the form is complete the Alumni office will provide you with the additional information needed. In the meantime please review the reunion information located below. This package will provide you with information on how the Alumni office gets involved, considerations, size of the reunion, booking a room, catering options, sample outlines and sample timelines.

• advertising on website/Reflections Magazine 
• booking campus space
• assisting with program
• provide accommodation information
• catering options
• compile list of graduates 
• mail invitations, postage and label fee to be provided by group organizing reunion
• organize invitations to retired faculty through the Human Resources departmemt 

All communications must be coordinated through Alumni office to ensure institutional consistency.

Considerations:

• If event is meal-centered, what type of meals would it be? (buffet-style, pre-set, or plated)
• Choice between a formal or informal reunion

o Informal: ($25 to $50 per participant) picnic/barbecue, dinner at a local restaurant, hotel (banquet hall)

o Formal: banquet ($50 to $150 per participant) catered, on campus, country club, hotel, restaurant

• Tours of schools, possibly enlist the help of student ambassadors that volunteer at Durham College and/or UOIT.
• Reserve overnight rooms for those individuals who wish to indulge themselves with alcohol. This will hopefully encourage individuals to stay the night rather than driving home.
• Staff required for the event? Some facilities may provide this service.
• Arrange for bar and bartender. Will the event be cash bar or open bar?
• Theme for the event? (theme from the era of the graduating class perhaps, for example 70's graduating class could have a disco theme).

Who is the event lead ?

The event lead is the organizer of the event and single point of contact re: campus.

The event lead is responsible for:

• developing the basic message
• identifying sponsorship opportunities
• contact with Alumni office  
• ad design
• correspondence
• program design
• clearance of prospects
• sponsorship levels/proposals
• depositing and receipting all funds
• budget development
• arrange for photographer

Small reunion (around 50 ppl)

 Ideas for a small reunion:

• tour and dinner on campus
• (weather/season permitting) picnic/barbecue in campus courtyard
•  reception could be included before each
• photographer

Medium reunion (around 250 ppl)

Ideas for medium reunion:

• banquet w/guest speakers i.e. alumni, any prominent community member/professional
• reunion could include a dance
• could include a raffle or silent auction
• buffet type of meal.
• photographer

Large reunion (500+ ppl)

Ideas for large reunion:

• banquet off campus (unless there is sufficient capacity somewhere on campus to host this many people).
• As a way to raise funds could include a silent auction or raffle
• Could also include awards for alumni
• Catered meal, where the meal itself would be pre-set meal. Vegetarian options included.
• Photographer

Booking a room/event on campus

A room booking request must be submitted via email (or in writing using the Room Booking Request Form on the 'I' drive under Central Scheduling) to Central Scheduling at scheduling@dc-uoit.ca. No verbal requests will be accepted.

Email request must include:

1. date(s) the room is required
2. start and end times (please remember to include any set-up and clean-up time)
3. description of the booking, quantity of guests type of event ie DJ (so that CS may inform the Information Desk, Security, and Risk Management)
4. contact person and extension
5. preferred room or room type (i.e. dining room, presenter required, lab, etc.)

Catering Options

Chartwells provides catering under the name Impressions catering. They provide meals for all occasions and times throughout the day. Prices are usually reasonable. Usually for larger events more than three days notice is required to be served much more effectively.

Sample outline of a large reunion (one that takes up the whole weekend)

Friday

Intake/registration 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Reception/welcome ceremony 6:30 to 11 p.m.

(includes hors d'oeuvres, drinks, dancing, music à allows for meeting and greeting fellow graduates/alumni)

Saturday

Parade/march of classes around campus 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Seminars/workshops/tours 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. (for seminars and workshops, individuals could be alumni or they could be hired from the community)

Dinner 6:30 to 11 p.m. (plated dinner, with music, dancing, awards, and silent auction and/or raffle

Sunday

Brunch 10 to 12:30 p.m.

Farewell/Send Off Ceremony 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (speeches, final words, thank-you to all alumni and family)

Sample timeline (suitable timeline for the medium or large reunion, anything smaller could be accomplished in possibly shorter time)

In order to achieve a successful reunion it is a good idea to consider creating a timetable to ensure that all necessary tasks are completed.

24 months before

• form a committee
• determine event format
• picnic, dinner-dance, barbecue
• informal, formal
• single day event or multi-day event
• brainstorm additional activities
• set date(s)
• scout out potential reunion facilities and hotels/residences
• develop budget
• start developing mailing list (could be provided by Alumni office)

18 months before

• select and reserve reunion facility and hotels/residences
• arrange for and hire entertainment, caterer, photographer, etc

12 months before

• determine cost per ticket. Send initial mailer announcing date and location of reunion
• publicize reunion information (newspaper ad, tv/radio spot, Alumni website, Reflections Magazine)
• arrange for additional leisure activities (sightseeing tours, etc.)

Six months before

• mail reunion registration materials
• confirm all reservations, caterer, entertainment, etc.
• select menu
• meet with hotel and reunion venue staff
• if including a silent auction and/or raffle, determine potential solicitation opportunities.
• write generic proposal for auction/raffle items

Four months before

• make payment arrangements with all suppliers for group functions, meals, tours, photographer, DJ, etc.

One month before

• finalize any last minute details

The most desirable dates to hold a reunion are on a Friday and/or Saturday. Furthermore, the most popular times of the year would be early summer or late fall. Thanksgiving weekend is also a good time as some alumni are visiting family in the area for the holidays. Also the weather is important to take into consideration when planning the reunion and specific activities that would be involved.

• advertising on website/Reflections Magazine 
• booking campus space
• assisting with program
• provide accommodation information
• catering options
• compile list of graduates 
• mail invitations, postage and label fee to be provided by group organizing reunion
• organize invitations to retired faculty through the Human Resources departmemt 

All communications must be coordinated through Alumni office to ensure institutional consistency.

Considerations:

• If event is meal-centered, what type of meals would it be? (buffet-style, pre-set, or plated)
• Choice between a formal or informal reunion

o Informal: ($25 to $50 per participant) picnic/barbecue, dinner at a local restaurant, hotel (banquet hall)

o Formal: banquet ($50 to $150 per participant) catered, on campus, country club, hotel, restaurant

• Tours of schools, possibly enlist the help of student ambassadors that volunteer at Durham College and/or UOIT.
• Reserve overnight rooms for those individuals who wish to indulge themselves with alcohol. This will hopefully encourage individuals to stay the night rather than driving home.
• Staff required for the event? Some facilities may provide this service.
• Arrange for bar and bartender. Will the event be cash bar or open bar?
• Theme for the event? (theme from the era of the graduating class perhaps, for example 70's graduating class could have a disco theme).

Who is the event lead ?

The event lead is the organizer of the event and single point of contact re: campus.

The event lead is responsible for:

• developing the basic message
• identifying sponsorship opportunities
• contact with Alumni office  
• ad design
• correspondence
• program design
• clearance of prospects
• sponsorship levels/proposals
• depositing and receipting all funds
• budget development
• arrange for photographer

Small reunion (around 50 ppl)

 Ideas for a small reunion:

• tour and dinner on campus
• (weather/season permitting) picnic/barbecue in campus courtyard
•  reception could be included before each
• photographer

Medium reunion (around 250 ppl)

Ideas for medium reunion:

• banquet w/guest speakers i.e. alumni, any prominent community member/professional
• reunion could include a dance
• could include a raffle or silent auction
• buffet type of meal.
• photographer

Large reunion (500+ ppl)

Ideas for large reunion:

• banquet off campus (unless there is sufficient capacity somewhere on campus to host this many people).
• As a way to raise funds could include a silent auction or raffle
• Could also include awards for alumni
• Catered meal, where the meal itself would be pre-set meal. Vegetarian options included.
• Photographer

Booking a room/event on campus

A room booking request must be submitted via email (or in writing using the Room Booking Request Form on the 'I' drive under Central Scheduling) to Central Scheduling at scheduling@dc-uoit.ca. No verbal requests will be accepted.

Email request must include:

1. date(s) the room is required
2. start and end times (please remember to include any set-up and clean-up time)
3. description of the booking, quantity of guests type of event ie DJ (so that CS may inform the Information Desk, Security, and Risk Management)
4. contact person and extension
5. preferred room or room type (i.e. dining room, presenter required, lab, etc.)

Catering Options

Chartwells provides catering under the name Impressions catering. They provide meals for all occasions and times throughout the day. Prices are usually reasonable. Usually for larger events more than three days notice is required to be served much more effectively.

Sample outline of a large reunion (one that takes up the whole weekend)

Friday

Intake/registration 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Reception/welcome ceremony 6:30 to 11 p.m.

(includes hors d'oeuvres, drinks, dancing, music à allows for meeting and greeting fellow graduates/alumni)

Saturday

Parade/march of classes around campus 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Lunch 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Seminars/workshops/tours 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. (for seminars and workshops, individuals could be alumni or they could be hired from the community)

Dinner 6:30 to 11 p.m. (plated dinner, with music, dancing, awards, and silent auction and/or raffle

Sunday

Brunch 10 to 12:30 p.m.

Farewell/Send Off Ceremony 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. (speeches, final words, thank-you to all alumni and family)

Sample timeline (suitable timeline for the medium or large reunion, anything smaller could be accomplished in possibly shorter time)

In order to achieve a successful reunion it is a good idea to consider creating a timetable to ensure that all necessary tasks are completed.

24 months before

• form a committee
• determine event format
• picnic, dinner-dance, barbecue
• informal, formal
• single day event or multi-day event
• brainstorm additional activities
• set date(s)
• scout out potential reunion facilities and hotels/residences
• develop budget
• start developing mailing list (could be provided by Alumni office)

18 months before

• select and reserve reunion facility and hotels/residences
• arrange for and hire entertainment, caterer, photographer, etc

12 months before

• determine cost per ticket. Send initial mailer announcing date and location of reunion
• publicize reunion information (newspaper ad, tv/radio spot, Alumni website, Reflections Magazine)
• arrange for additional leisure activities (sightseeing tours, etc.)

Six months before

• mail reunion registration materials
• confirm all reservations, caterer, entertainment, etc.
• select menu
• meet with hotel and reunion venue staff
• if including a silent auction and/or raffle, determine potential solicitation opportunities.
• write generic proposal for auction/raffle items

Four months before

• make payment arrangements with all suppliers for group functions, meals, tours, photographer, DJ, etc.

One month before

• finalize any last minute details

The most desirable dates to hold a reunion are on a Friday and/or Saturday. Furthermore, the most popular times of the year would be early summer or late fall. Thanksgiving weekend is also a good time as some alumni are visiting family in the area for the holidays. Also the weather is important to take into consideration when planning the reunion and specific activities that would be involved.