Membership Process

The Alliance has adopted new membership procedures that allow for strategic growth through the addition of institutions that demonstrate goals, actions, policies and public statements about diversity that are consistent with the mission and goals of the Alliance. (Membership Overview) Therefore, the Alliance will no longer accept non-solicited membership applications. The new membership procedures consist of a multi-step targeted process, which is outlined below.

Step 1: Nomination Process
Membership in the Leadership Alliance is by invitation only. Presidential-level commitment is required for membership. Representatives from institutions wishing to apply for membership in the Alliance must contact an institutional or summer program coordinator from a current Alliance member institution to solicit a nomination. Self-nominations will not be permitted. A nomination does not guarantee an invitation to apply for membership.

The first round of nominations for membership will be open to institutions that focus on undergraduate education and primarily award baccalaureate degrees. Nominations may be made until August 2009.

Step 2: Invitation Process
The Membership Committee will review nominations to determine those institutions that will be invited to apply. Presidents of institutions that have been invited to apply will receive an invitation letter that provides information about the invitation process and outlines materials that the institution must provide. To be considered further, required documentation includes a letter of intent from the institution’s president identifying how the university will support and extend the mission of the Alliance, whether it would recommend students for activities or host students and summer research programs (or both), and specific institutional data related to measures of diversity and commitment to diversity at the institution. A limited number of institutions will be invited to apply.

Invitations will be sent by November 30, 2009. The institution must provide seven sets of the required documentation to the Membership Committee by January 13, 2010.

Step 3: Review Process
The Membership Committee will review the institutions’ materials and determine whether a site visit to the institution(s) is warranted. In the event of a site visit, Alliance executive office staff and committee member(s) will work with the representative from the institution of interest to arrange a time to meet with the president, provost, relevant academic officers and students. Site visits would be conducted fall 2010.

The committee will present their recommendations to the Leadership Alliance institutional representatives at the spring 2010 business meeting. The Alliance body then votes on the response to the invitation to apply for membership by the prospective institution.

Step 4: Notification Process
The Executive Director will notify the institutions’ presidents of the results of the vote after the spring 2010 business meeting in the form of a letter. The president will be tasked with appointing an institutional and/or summer program coordinator who will be invited to attend the Leadership Alliance National Symposium, fall 2010 business meeting and New Coordinators Orientation.