SETTING YOUR CLASS FEE
The reunion chair and the class treasurer are responsible for setting a fee to cover the costs of class events during Reunion Weekend.
The best guide to the costs that any reunion class will incur is the recent experience of comparable reunion classes. Financial statements for classes that returned in prior years are available from the staff. However, no two classes are exactly alike in their numbers, reunion traditions, and feelings about splurging or economizing. Class reunion budgets range from $20,000 to $40,000.
To maximize class attendance, the reunion chair and the class treasurer should work to hold down the class reunion fee. Every class develops a reunion budget to suit its own tastes and ideas; spending money in an intelligent manner is of utmost importance.
Initial rsvps should allow the reunion chair to determine the approximate number of people who will attend and pay their share of class reunion costs. Past reunion chairs have reported that these initial numbers are fairly accurate indicators of actual attendance. Consult the table on page A5 for attendance trends at recent reunions and the history of class fees on page A6.
NOTE: Many class treasurers factor in the existing class treasury balance when determining their class fee. If there are existing funds, don't be shy about tapping into your balance- it's there for this reason.
A few fees are typically set: one for classmates, one for guests (spouses/partners/guests) and one for children (chairs and treasurers should decide the age limits). It should also be determined whether widows/ers pay the classmate fee or the guest fee. (NOTE: Widows are not counted in the reunion tax calculation; see below).
ORGANIZING YOUR CLASS BUDGET - use the reunion budget planning worksheet on page A8 to set your class fee. The big items to budget are:
- Meals
- Bar supplies, soft drinks, liquor
- Logo Items
- Tent rental
- Tables, Chairs and Lights for Tents - only if you have an event off college property (private home) the College pays for all tables, chairs and basic tent lighting under tents on College property.
- Music/Entertainment
- Reunion Tax - $30 per alum in the 25th-50th reunions; $10 per alum in the 5th-20th reunions. The overall reunion budget for the College is significant. While Williams underwrites many of the weekend's costs, the reunion tax helps pay for any number of miscellaneous expenses such as dorm cleaning, etc.
NOTE: All postage costs are covered by the Alumni Relations Office.
The staff will bill classes for the reunion tax, and other miscellaneous items (i.e. piano tuning, band housing fees) in the weeks after reunion. You simply need to approve the transfer of funds from your class account to an internal reunion account.
When preparing the reunion budget, the staff recommends that classes aim for a small surplus ($500-$1000) that can be used for class events before the next major reunion.
