Amherst has a strong tradition of class organization which is further cultivated by the officers. The officers are the College’s liaisons to the rest of the class; thus, the College turns to these individuals and enlists their advice and help for a variety of reasons, including communicating with their classmates about upcoming events, fundraising, and college updates. Amherst Advancement staff will work with you to determine when and how we can facilitate class-wide communications. Please see the Amherst College terms and conditions of use for more information regarding electronic communications from the College.


Volunteer Code of Conduct:

All alumni volunteers for Advancement…

  • serve as ambassadors for the College to alumni and other constituents
  • demonstrate positive engagement with the College prior to, and while filling, volunteer roles
  • support Amherst College and its mission through the initiatives of the Advancement Office
  • stay informed about activities at the College
  • share their time for the primary purpose of benefiting the College
  • handle confidential information discreetly and with respect for constituents’ rights to—and expectations of—privacy, as do we at the College
  • abide by the College’s nondiscrimination statement
  • do not use their position for personal financial gain
  • adhere to the policies and guidelines outlined for specific volunteer groups, including but not limited to class secretaries, reunion planners, class agents, associate agents, class officers, and regional association volunteers.

The following officers are elected by each class at Reunion to serve five-year terms:

PRESIDENT

Responsible for assuming active leadership of the class, the President acts as a consultant to the Office of Alumni and Constituent Engagement on all matters pertaining to the class, for example in recruiting classmates to serve as class officers. The President takes primary leadership for all class programs, such as Homecoming and class dinners. 

VICE PRESIDENT

Responsible for supporting the Class President as needed, the Vice President often helps in executing specific class projects, recruits classmates to serve as class officers in their reunion year, and helps find new class officers should a mid-cycle vacancy occur.

TREASURER

Responsible for keeping track of the funds available for class use, the Treasurer oversees class finances and budgeting, including approval of expenditures from class accounts, with assistance from the class liaison as needed. (Most of the activity for this position occurs in Reunion years.) 

SECRETARy

The Class Secretaries support the College's role in keeping classmates informed and in touch with one another. They work with Advancement and magazine staff to encourage participation in class notes, and are  responsible for ensuring “In Memory” pieces are written when a classmate passes away. 

REUNION CHAIR(S)

Responsible for recruiting and managing a group of classmates to plan and oversee class reunion activities. The success of a class reunion depends on the efforts, organization, and creativity of this individual or individuals. The Reunion Chair(s) must manage, delegate, meet deadlines, and be comfortable writing to the class and speaking with classmates by phone on a regular basis in preparation for Reunion. For more information, view the Reunion Planning Handbook online. This position can work well with two classmates sharing responsibilities. 

SOCIAL MEDIA CHAIR AND/OR CLASS WEB EDITOR

Responsible for managing the class’s online presence, including submitting content for the class website. A social media chair manages and moderates their class social media presence and sets a tone of civility and respect among members. View the Web Editor Guidelines.

Learn more about volunteering for the Amherst Fund
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