REUNION HANDBOOK

June 9-12, 2016

Office of Alumni Relations Williams College 75 Park Street

Williamstown, MA 01267 413-597-4151

http://alumni.williams.edu/reunions

GUIDE TO YOUR REUNION DISCUSSION Here are few points of information to guide your discussions today. Please review the following: □ 1. A glossary of Reunion terms to help make sense of the process □ 2. A list of Reunion HQ’s to give you the lay of the land □ 3. Information about housing your classmates during Reunion □ 4-5. Info on recent reunion attendance □ 6-7. Info on setting of class fee and last year’s fees. You are not looking to establish this figure today- it is a point of reference. □ 8-9. A worksheet that will help you determine your class fee. Budgets from last year’s classes are included in the folder. □ 10. General info on organizing a reunion committee □ 11. Info on catering and alcohol services during reunion □ 12. Info on local caterers and on-campus dining spaces □ 13. Golf Chair responsibilities □ 14. General info on children at reunion □ 15. The Purple Cow Camp – details about group childcare at a local preschool □ 16. General info on Entertainment (DJ’s, bands) □ 17-18. Info on promoting your reunion □ 19. General “Key Details” □ 20. Reunion Planning Timetable □ 21. Information about Reunion wrap up Remember: A primary goal of your reunion efforts is to get as many people back for reunion and to make your gathering as inclusive as possible! Please make note of questions as they surface along the way. Thanks for your great work!

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GLOSSARY OF REUNION WEEKEND TERMINOLOGY Class Letter – the reunion chair writes a detailed letter in March to classmates and widows regarding plans for class gatherings during Reunion Weekend. The registration form accompanies this letter. It is sent electronically through our HTML email marketing system. Alumni Relations coordinates the sending of those electronic letters. For those classes that would like hardcopy mailings in addition to the electronic letter, please let Ashley know and she’ll coordinate a hardcopy mailing. These are emailed/mailed on March 16th. Class Reunion Fee – the charge to your classmates to cover the costs of class events during Reunion Weekend. College Reunion Fee – a fee per alumnus/a billed to class members by the College. It only applies to alums in a reunion cycle who attend the festivities. While the College heavily subsidizes Reunion Weekend, the College relies on this income to help offset various expenses. $40 per alum in the 25th-50th reunions; $20 per alum in the 5th-20th reunions. Class Gifts/Giveaway items – hats, shirts, fleece vests, totebags, etc. that have your class numeral on them. They are traditionally worn in the parade and/or distributed as a take-home item. Quinquennial Reunion – a class gathering that occurs every five years on campus in June. Reunion Chair(s) – the person or persons in each class who have been selected by the class officers to organize and run its reunion. Reunion Check-In Site – all returning alumni should visit the Faculty House/Alumni Center when they arrive on campus to pick up a final schedule of events, collect dorm room keys and collect class gifts and class schedules. Reunion Committee – the group of class members organized to assist in the organization and running of Reunion Weekend. Reunion Registration Form – the form provided in the hardcopy March mailing which alumni need to complete and return to Williams with their check. There is also an online registration form where classmates can register which is linked in the electronic mailing and mentioned in any hardcopy mailings. Reunion Headquarters – each reunion class will be assigned a house or cluster of buildings which provide the class with a "home base" for the weekend – a place to meet classmates, to leave messages, to host class events and to house classmates needing dormitory housing. Sponsor-an-Eph Program – an option available on the registration form for classmates to contribute additional monies to offset the financial hardship of fellow classmates. This contribution is NOT a tax-deductible donation.

Reunion Headquarters and On Campus Housing

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Reunion Year Headquarters Singles Doubles Total Beds Available

On Campus Requests 2015

45th Reunion Agard 6 13 32 10

40th Reunion Brooks 4 12 28 82West 36 9 54

35th ReunionTyler & Tyler

Annex 77 88

Tyler 21 8 37Tyler Annex 40 0 40

30th Reunion Wood & Perry 60 108Wood 22 4 30Perry 22 4 30

20th Runion Frosh Quad 312 137Williams 49 56 161

Sage 51 50 151

15th Reunion Morgan 90 10 110 96

10th Reunion Berkshire Quad 272 166

Prospect 104 0 104Fitch 28 8 44

Currier 55 6 67East 21 18 57

5th Reunion Greylock 309 219Bryan 62 0 62Carter 80 0 80

Mark Hopkins 74 2 78Gladden 83 3 89

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HOUSING YOUR CLASSMATES Returning alumni have the option of staying in the dorms or in local accommodations. Class letters should explain both the convenience and inexpensive nature of dormitory housing while pointing out the drawbacks. The College rooms may provide nostalgia, but they lack such amenities as private baths, elegant furnishings/lighting, elevators, and air-conditioning. Most College rooms are singles, and therefore couples should expect to be housed in separate rooms. All College rooms have twin beds. DORMITORY ACCOMMODATIONS – All returning alumni are guaranteed a dormitory room on campus, although if classmates are late to register, they may be placed in a dorm other than the class headquarters. All housing assignments are made on a first-come, first-served basis, so classmates should register early. If they are interested in being near specific classmates, then they should coordinate registering around the same time. All families will be housed together. The fee is $80 per bed for the entire weekend starting Thursday of Reunion Weekend. Alumni can reserve their bed(s) when reunion registration goes live in March. If your classmates opt for dormitory housing, they'll be grouped together with other classmates in either class headquarters or another dorm convenient to class headquarters. If you have empty rooms in your class headquarters, alumni from other classes may be assigned the unassigned rooms. Williams is continuing to adapt its buildings to be accessible for the handicapped. Ramps are being added, particularly in residence halls as they are renovated. If you require such facilities, please make early requests. All College rooms must be vacated by 12:00 p.m. on Sunday in order to make way for a full season of summer conferences beginning on campus the next week. HOTEL/MOTEL RESERVATIONS – A list of all local hotels is available on the Williams website and we include a hard copy list with all reunion mailings. The reunion chair may book blocks of hotel rooms in advance and advertise them in class letters or simply let classmates book their own hotel rooms. If rooms are difficult to reserve, it is likely that other classes have booked them. Inquire when blocks of rooms will be “released” since you may be able to reserve some at that time.

# - Number of Alumni% - Percentage of Class

Reunion Attendance Chart #G - Number of Guests#C - Number of Children

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Class # % #G #C Class # % #G #C2010 264 51 48 0 2005 183 35 75 252009 274 50 55 0 2004 207 39 99 262008 264 50 39 0 2003 219 41 98 402007 289 54 51 0 2002 156 29 61 242006 306 57 41 1 2001 143 26 59 332005 274 53 46 1 2000 193 36 87 302004 304 56 36 0 1999 163 31 90 392003 263 49 38 0 1998 186 36 90 492002 252 48 41 1 1997 224 41 76 522001 230 42 41 1 1996 168 31 88 28

Class # % #G #C Class # % #G #C2000 123 22 54 87 1994 165 31 81 1671999 115 22 90 127 1994 154 30 73 1331998 136 27 113 69 1993 139 25 70 1461997 103 19 50 80 1992 140 25 87 1591996 102 19 54 73 1991 164 32 80 1221995 105 20 47 102 1990 165 31 89 1691994 107 21 57 69 1989 163 31 96 1991993 117 21 77 110 1988 187 36 127 2531992 127 23 63 105 1987 198 37 96 2161991 135 26 58 83 1986 132 25 71 171

Class # % #G #C1985 127 24 49 531984 138 26 56 541983 120 23 46 441982 104 20 44 281981 111 21 52 531980 114 21 44 521979 125 25 42 431978 113 22 36 291977 113 23 42 141976 96 20 42 24

5th  Reunion 10th  Reunion

15th  Reunion 20th  Reunion

30th  Reunion

# - Number of Alumni% - Percentage of Class

Reunion Attendance Chart #G - Number of Guests#C - Number of Children

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Class # % #G #C1980 132 25 60 101979 165 34 72 211978 125 25 51 181977 104 21 46 61976 124 26 55 151975 110 23 48 51974 53 13 21 91973 72 18 42 121972 92 24 50 71971 71 21 38 16

Class # % #G #C1975 152 32 86 21974 79 20 46 11973 94 23 52 31972 110 29 72 11971 78 23 42 21970 50 16 23 11969 46 16 32 51968 81 28 66 51967 88 32 71 51966 88 31 65 6

Class # % #G #C1970 46 15 34 11969 38 13 34 01968 58 20 49 01967 64 24 58 01966 75 27 51 11965 77 30 60 11964 53 19 36 11963 59 24 36 41962 66 26 54 01961 60 24 45 0

40th  Reunion

45th  Reunion

35th  Reunion

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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 $60,000. Consult enclosed table for attendance trends at recent reunions. 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 General Reunion Charge calculation; see below). ORGANIZING YOUR CLASS BUDGET – The big items to budget are: • Meals • Bar supplies, soft drinks, liquor • Class gifts/giveaway items • Tent rental • Tables, Chairs and Lights for Tents • Music/Entertainment • College Reunion Fee – $40 per alum in the 25th-50th reunions; $20 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 College Reunion Fee helps pay for any number of miscellaneous expenses.

• Fee waivers for those with a financial hardship NOTE: All postage costs are covered by the Alumni Relations Office.

The staff will bill classes for the general reunion charge, and other miscellaneous items (i.e. piano tuning, band housing fees) in the weeks after reunion. 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.

 

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Class  Reunion  Fees  2015  

2010  (5th)  • Weekend  

o Adult:  $200  o Child/Babysitter:  Free  

• One  Night  o Adult:  $150  o Child/Babysitter:  Free  

2005  (10th)  • Weekend  

o Adult:  $185  o Child  (Age  4+):  $30  o Child  (Age  0-­‐3):  Free  o Babysitter:  $50  

• One  Night  o Adult:  $100  o Others:  Same  as  above  

2000  (15th)  • Weekend  

o Adult:  $195  o Child  (Age  4+):  $50  o Child  (Age  0-­‐3):  Free  o Babysitter:  Free  

• One  Night  o Adult:  $150  o Child  (Age  4+):  $25  o Others:  Same  as  above  

1995  (20th)  • Weekend  

o Alumni:  $210  o Spouse/Guest:  $190  o Child  (Age  4+):  $80  o Child  (Age  0-­‐3):  Free  o Babysitter:  $50  

• One  Night  o Alumni:  $120  o Spouse/Guest:  $110  o Child  (Age  4+):  $50  o Child  (Age  0-­‐3):  Free  o Babysitter:  $30  

1990  (25th)  • Weekend  

o Alumni:  $285  o Spouse/Guest  or  Child  (Age  

18+):  $230  o Child  (Age  4-­‐17):  $60  o Child  (Age  0-­‐3):  Free  o Babysitter:  $60  

• Maximum  Class  Fee  Cap:  $695  (does  not  apply  to  housing)  

1985  (30th)  • Weekend  

o Alumni:  $200  o Spouse/Guest:  $180  o Child  (Age  13+):  $50  o Other  Child/Babysitter:  Free  

• One  Night  o Alumni:  $140  o Spouse/  Guest:  $85  o Child  (Age  13+):  $40  o Other  Child/Babysitter:  Free  

• Thursday  Dinner:  $30/person    1980  (35th)  

• Weekend  o Adult:  $225  o Child  (Age  11+):  $140  o Other  Child/Babysitter:  Free  

• One  Night  o Adult:  $175  o Child  (Age  11+):  $100  o Other  Child/Babysitter:  Free  

• Thursday  Dinner:  $35/person    1975  (40th)  

• Entire  Weekend  o Alumni:  $250  o Spouse/Guest:  $220  o Child  (Age  4+):  $125  o Other  Child/Babysitter:  Free  

• Friday  Dinner  ONLY  o Alumni:  $130  o Spouse/Guest:  $95  o Child  (Age  4+):  $40  

• Saturday  Dinner  ONLY  o Alumni:  $185  o Spouse/Guest:  $150  o Child  (Age  4+):  $90  

• Thursday  Dinner:  $30/person    1970  (45th)  

• Weekend  o Alumni:  $250  o Spouse/Guest:  $250  

   

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REUNION BUDGET PLANNING WORKSHEET

VARIABLE COSTS MEALS TOTALS PER PERSON Friday Dinner # of people @ $ per person Hors d’oeuvres $___________ = ___ @ ____ Food $___________ = ___ @ ____ China $___________ = ___ @ ____ Service Charge $___________ Tax $___________ Saturday Dinner # of people @ $ per person Hors d’oeuvres $___________ = ___ @ ____ Food $___________ = ___ @ ____ China $___________ = ___ @ ____ Service Charge $___________ Tax $___________ Sunday Brunch # of people @ $ per person Food $___________ = _____ @ ____ Service Charge $___________ Tax $___________ TOTAL MEAL COSTS $ _______________

CLASS GIFT # of people @ $ per person Class Gift $___________ = _____ @ ____

TOTAL CLASS GIFT COSTS $ _______________ FIXED COSTS

TENT $ _______________

ENTERTAINMENT (DJ, Band, etc.) $ _______________

LIQUOR AND BAR SUPPLIES $ _______________

CONTINGENCY $ _______________ TOTAL COSTS $ _______________

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REUNION BUDGET PLANNING WORKSHEET (continued) TOTAL COSTS (from previous page) $ ______________ ANTICIPATED # OF GUESTS ________________ (see historical attendance chart) TOTAL COST ÷ ANTICIPATED # OF GUESTS = COST PER PERSON $ ______________ COST PER PERSON + College Reunion Fee = FEE FOR ALUMNUS/A $ ______________ (see “setting your class fee” in handbook) * College Reuion Fee = $20 per classmate for 5th-20th reunions; $40 per classmate 25th-

50th reunions. * Fee for spouse/partner = “cost per person” since spouses/guests are not charged the

“College Reunion Fee”. * If the class plans to offer a Thursday dinner, ask your caterer to provide you an all-

inclusive price per person (taxes and gratuities too). Charge the per person amount as an additional registration charge for those that are able to attend the Thursday dinner.

* If the class is offering a kids dinner, add in a meal breakdown of costs for that

expense.

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ORGANIZING A REUNION COMMITTEE The reunion chair(s) and class officers are encouraged to recruit classmates to help coordinate various components of the weekend. The following volunteers must recruited: � Golf Chair – Works directly with Taconic Golf Club to coordinate tee times for classmates. The following positions are optional: �Entertainment – Hires musical entertainment (and provides DJ with music choices) and coordinates any other class-related outing/activity such as a hike, museum tour, etc. �Class Gift/Giveaway Item – Designs and orders the class gift/giveaway item received at check-in. �Meals – Works with the caterers to plan menus and arrange meal times. �Children's Activities – Arranges class-specific children's activities. �Outreach/Inclusion – Coordinates effort to contact classmates to encourage reunion attendance. A large group can be assembled for this task. The following responsibilities are managed by Class Officers: �Budget/Class Reunion Fee – The class treasurer works with the reunion committee to develop the reunion budget, set the class fee and oversee bill payment. �Class Officer Succession Plan – Class Officers should oversee the process of recruiting new class leadership. A call for volunteers should be part of the March class mailing.

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CATERING & ALCOHOL INFORMATION WILLIAMS DINING SERVICES: A select number of classes work with Williams College Dining Services. Please let Ashley know if you are interested in using the College services. The benefit is that Dining Services is slightly less expensive and very comfortable with all of the ins and outs of catering on campus. They can also handle the bar services and alcohol orders for the class if you work with them as your caterer. ON CAMPUS DINING: If you have a dinner in the Faculty Club, you must use dining services as the caterer for those meals. Please refer to the following sheet that lists on-campus dining venues for more information and the venue capacities. The majority of classes hold all of their meals and gatherings under a tent at their headquarters. Some, however, do opt to have a meal or two in a campus venue. Please get requests into Ashley as she’ll manage these requests and scheduling. LOCAL CATERERS: There are reputable caterers in the area that are now accustomed to catering for Williams Reunion. The class is responsible for hiring and working with the local caterer of their choosing. I recommend reaching out to caterers for quotes and menus early so that you can book your caterer by December (if not sooner). Attached is a list of local caterers with their contact information. Feel free to ask Ashley for more specifics and feedback on this list, if interested. ALCOHOL: In regard to alcohol, local caterers provide the bartenders and rentals (glassware, etc) for the bars of the classes with which they work. The alcohol is ordered by the class from The Spirit Shop who can advise both the class and the caterer as to what is typically ordered and needed for each reunion cycle. *When working with a caterer be sure that your quote includes the following:

- Meal budgets - Staff/servers - Rentals (linens, glassware, silverware, plates, etc.) The College provides

tables and chairs, and orders the tents on behalf of the class. The Caterer is responsible for the remaining necessary rentals.

- Flowers/centerpieces if desired - Taxes - Tips

 

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ON CAMPUS DINING OPTIONS

Location Capacity Caterer Extra Expenses

Center Stage of '62 Center 200 Outside Lighting, removal of theater seats, moving furniture

Dance Studio of '62 Center 140 Outside Lighting, special floor to protect studio, moving furniture

Faculty Club 160 Must use Williams Dining Services

Greylock 225 Outside Moving furniture Lasell Gym 300 Outside

Reilly Room - Weston 96 seated 135 – 325 standing

Outside Moving Furniture

LOCAL CATERERS

The Clark Cost ~ $120/pp Contact: Tom Ellis, 413-770-7424, tom.ellis@starr-restaurant.com SPACE CAPACITY Penthouse 30 Stone Hill Center 85 Glass Box 125 Lower Level 200

CATERER CONTACT EMAIL PHONE Gramercy Bistro Celisha gramercycatering@gmail.com 413-458-8745

Mezze Linda catering@mezzeinc.com 413-663-5300

Red Lion Inn Denise denise@redlioninn.com 413-298-1635

The Market Place Dave drenner@marketplacekitchen.com 413-248-5040

Debbie Gallagher Debbie debgalla5@roadrunner.com 413-822-6890

Hops & Vines Michelle michelle@hopsandvinesma.com 413-884-1372

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GOLF CHAIR INFORMATION Golf Chair Responsibilities: * Accept calls and e-mails from classmates who want to play; your name and contact

information will be printed in your class's March mailing. * Follow Taconic's Sign-Up Procedures (see below). * Distribute Rules of Play to classmates who will play Taconic Sign-up Procedures: The following guidelines were developed by Josh Hillman, Taconic professional, and have worked very well now for several years. They enable us to avoid a frequent problem in the past, of classes "overbooking" tee times and then canceling them at the last minute, making those times unavailable to anyone else. They also prevent classes from booking an unfair number of times, leaving other classes with few opportunities for play. * Tee times may be booked directly with the Taconic Pro Shop (413) 458-3997 as of early May

2014. Only golf chairs may book tee times. (The Pro Shop will not take calls from any other classmates and will direct those calls to you.)

* Each class has a limited number of tee times. Please follow a first come, first served system. * Unused allotted times will be released in mid-May 2014. They will be allocated on a first-

come, first-served basis, with a limitation of two extra tee times per class, per day. * Tee times must be re-confirmed 10 days before the date of play by calling or faxing the names

of players and their tee times to the Taconic Pro Shop (413-458-3997 phone; 413-458-2654 fax). If tee times are not re-confirmed, the Pro Shop will release these times to the regular membership.

Tee Times: Each class may book the following number of tee times during Reunion Weekend: * Thursday and Friday - Each Reunion Class may book three tee times (12 players) between 7 AM-2:30 PM, except for the 25th and 50th Reunion Classes which may book 7 tee times each (28 players). * Saturday - Each Reunion Class may reserve one tee time (4 players) between the hours of 9 AM-Noon. In addition, each class may book two tee times (8 players) after Noon on these days. * Sunday - Any alumnus/a who wants to play on Sunday must call Taconic directly 7 days in advance to arrange a tee time. No calls before June 4. Misc. Information: The Alumni rate at Taconic is $80. Under Taconic's regular policy, resident and non-resident alumni members of Taconic may sign up for morning tee times on Saturday and Sunday no more than 7 days in advance and under the guidelines of "no more than one tee time and a maximum of three guests each." The member must play with the foursome. The Baxter Cup is awarded to the class with the lowest 18-hole ringer score during Reunion Weekend. First presented in 1961, this beautiful silver trophy was given by friends of Denise and Dick Baxter in recognition of their devotion to Taconic Golf Club and to golf at Williams. Classmates may play their tournament round any time during the weekend by announcing their intention and submitting their names to the scorer before starting.

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FAMILY ACTIVITIES Over 500 children attend Reunion Weekend each year. The College hosts a wide variety of activities for families on Saturday. The children’s schedule is available online here: http://alumni.williams.edu/events/reunions/family-activities/ A hard copy program is available at check-in over Reunion weekend. Young children should be supervised by a parent or babysitter at all events, so if classmates want some “adult-only” time at any point during the weekend, they should consider bringing a babysitter or relative. (We’ve seen many grandparents attend the festivities!) Since the 15th, 20th, and 25th reunions have many children, class events should be family-friendly (check the number of children who attended last year’s reunion) Housing – Encourage parents to bring sleeping bags, portable cribs or sleeping mats for children too young to sleep in their own dorm room since most rooms are singles. Parents can also save a bed fee by bringing sleeping equipment and having their child(ren) sleep in their room. Babysitters – The College does not have a list of local babysitters, but will provide a dormitory bed, free of charge, for sitters coming with families. Meals – Classes with many children should organize child-friendly meals. Since children usually enjoy the traditional barbeque on Friday night, ask caterers to provide a special menu for children on Saturday night. Caterers should provide a discounted fee for children’s meals. Gifts – Some classes provide inexpensive gifts to entertain the children on Saturday night. Activities – While the College does provide a campus-wide Kid’s Program during Saturday of Reunion, classes who have many children attending may want to create a Kid’s Activities committee of classmates that can plan babysitting, activities, games, etc. for the children specifically in your class. For instance, ask a classmate to coordinate a collection of sporting equipment and arts and crafts materials for kids to play with at reunion headquarters.

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PURPLE COW CAMP

Williamstown Community Preschool 777 Main Street, Williamstown, MA 01267

413-458-4476

On Friday and Saturday evening of Reunion 2016, the Williamstown Community Preschool is offering group childcare services to returning alumni families. Information about the preschool is available here http://williamstowncommunity.org/ Care will be for children ages 18 months to 10 years old from 6pm until Midnight on Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13. Parents/guardians will drop their children at the preschool and pick them up from the preschool within that time frame. Children will be grouped by age. There will be a classroom for 18 months - 2.9 years, a classroom for 2.9 - 5 years, and a classroom for 6-10 years. Cots for sleeping are available, and children may be dropped off with changes of clothes, diapers, lovies, toys, and snacks (any accessories the parent deems necessary for their child). The preschool will also provide peanut-free snacks to all children, and have a variety of age-appropriate games and activities for each group. If you have questions about the program, please contact Sue Hamblin, Director of Williamstown Community Preschool at 413-459-4476 or sue@williamstowncommunity.org The preschool has First Aid and CPR trained teachers. They are accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children. They are licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care. All parents will be required to sign a waiver when dropping off their child. Cost

• The cost is $45 for 1 child • 2 kids is $80 • And 3 or more kids are $30 per child (so the total for 3 kids is $90, for 4

$120, etc.)

Class Size Limits • 20 kids maximum in the 18 month - 2.9 classroom • 50 kids maximum in the 2.9-5 classroom • 50 kids maximum in the 6-10 classroom

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ENTERTAINMENT MUSIC – A list of entertainers who have worked reunion in the past few are available from Ashley. Most classes use DJ’s over bands as a way to control costs. Most groups or booking agents have CDs so you may sample the music before contracting with them. When talking to their representative, be specific with the music requests! Housing for band members – band members may stay in the dorms for a $80 fee (per bed) and will be assigned rooms at the discretion of the staff. RISERS/STAGING – The College owns a limited number of risers. To accommodate all returning classes, each class has the option of using two 4 x 8 risers (making either a 4 x 16 or 8 x 8 stage). If you need additional staging for your evening entertainment, it should be rented through dining services from the tent company for an additional charge. (NOTE: We cannot mix College-owned risers with rental ones.) AUDIOVISUAL EQUIPMENT & PODIUMS – If you would prefer to keep expenses on entertainment to a minimum, you can rent AV equipment from Day Mountain Sound. This will allow your class to plug in an iPod for the evening’s entertainment. Contact: Don Harris at sound@daymountain.com If you’d like a podium under the class tent for announcements/speeches during the weekend, you will reserve that through Dining Services, who coordinates each class tent. TVs and DVD Players – Generally, all reunion headquarters are equipped with televisions and DVD players in the common rooms. PIANOS – Most reunion headquarters have pianos and are routinely tuned each spring. Moving or additional tuning requests will be charged to the class (approximately $55 for tuning; $200 for moving). TOWN CURFEW AND NOISE – Outdoor entertainment must end at midnight on Friday and Saturday nights due to Williamstown's noise curfew. Please advise your band or DJ of this policy. Additionally, the town police may close your party if they receive more than two noise complaints from members of the Williamstown community.

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REUNION COMMUNICATIONS TIMELINE Letters, class notes, e-mails, Facebook, and phone calls are all effective means to build your classmates' enthusiasm for Reunion Weekend. We ask that you engage in the following timeline, in addition to customizing efforts for the specific needs/interests of your class. Ashley will work with each Reunion Chair team to craft appropriate registration letters to their classmates. The Office of Alumni Relations will be responsible for formatting and sending the March registration letter and form. Fall Communication - September to December Office of Alumni Relations:

• Hardcopy postcard/magnet with date and reunion website to be mailed to all reunion classes (except international addresses)

Reunion Chairs:

• Messages via listserve and FB about class specific activities for reunion. • Personal phonecalls, emails, etc. to follow up with folks that might need

extra encouragement • Consider creating an evite to get an early sense of interest and

participation. Registration Communication – MARCH 16, 2016

• Letters from Reunion Chairs to individual classes o Registration form included in letter with list of local accommodations.

• Personalized HTML email coordinated by AR to each class member with link to online registration.

The Final Push – 1 month prior to Reunion, May

• Email from Director of Reunions with registration link and link to frequently asked questions page on website.

• Email to all alumni registered with children with link to Kid’s Activities schedule.

• Personalized, follow up efforts from classmates and reunion committees to encourage attendance.

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OTHER WAYS TO PROMOTE THE WEEKEND The Outreach Committee, recruited by the class officers and reunion chair(s), should develop a plan to make sure all classmates get a personal invitation to attend reunion. The Alumni Relations staff will provide the necessary contact info; outreach to all classmates can take place in the six months leading up to reunion. Use the class notes section of Williams People to report reunion plans as they develop. Work with the class secretary to promote the weekend. Utilize the class listserv to update classmates on plans and use it as a regular communication tool. (ClassXX-L@williams.edu) Those classes with Facebook pages should use this as another means of sharing information, photos, activities, and links regarding Reunion weekend. Formulate a plan for your class agent team to promote Reunion Weekend when communicating with classmates throughout the Alumni Fund cycle.

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KEY DETAILS INVITING THE PRESIDENT OF THE COLLEGE TO YOUR EVENTS – Please coordinate any invitations to the College President with Ashley; preference will be given to the 25th and 50th reunion classes as well as the 20th and 45th classes. INVITING FACULTY AND STAFF TO YOUR EVENTS – While classes are responsible for extending their own invitations, the staff can help locate addresses of former professors. We urge you to recruit classmates to serve as hosts to these guests during the evening. GOLF – Each reunion chair must appoint a golf chair that will serve as the contact between classmates and the Taconic Golf Club. Consult the enclosed directions for golf chairs for details regarding reservation of tee times for Reunion Weekend. NOTE: Classes may assign tee times to spouses, partners, and children, not just classmates. TENNIS – Courts are available to alumni on a first come, first served basis, although there are plenty of courts on which to play. MUSEUMS – Unless a classmate can offer a unique tour of a local museum, it is recommended that you do not plan special class tours, since classmates want flexible schedules once they arrive on campus. Williams organizes special group tours at the Williams College Museum of Art and the Clark Art Institute on Saturday. MASS MoCA offers public tours every 30 minutes on Saturday CLASS GIFTS/GIVEAWAY ITEMS – Popular items include blankets, towels, tote bags, Tervis Tumblers, and hats. In the past few years, the younger classes have regretted providing sized items due to varying sizes and handling the volume of orders. Some classes have offered non-wearable items such as umbrellas, totebags, lunchboxes, martini glasses, corkscrews and towels and asked classmates to wear purple or an item from a previous reunion during the parade. Class gift/giveaway items should be shipped to the Alumni Office the last week in May. Due to a storage shortage, please ask your vendor not to ship items prior to this date, Some local vendors or those who have provided logo items to classes in the past: Local Shirts and Vests Williams Shop in Williamstown (Bruce Goff ’83) (800)424-3747 Bennington Sports & Graphics (Tom Husser) (802)447-0020 Vendors for most if not all give-away items National Business Promotions (Linda Ginsburg ’82) (800)666-2301 NEPM (Christine Carpenter) (413)499-2401 Custom Screen Printing and Apparel (Phill Landry) 802-540-0088 DECORATIONS – If you want more than what your caterer can provide, contact Spring Street merchant, “Where’d You Get That!?” at (413)458-2206. TRANSPORTATION – Buses can be rented through JT Bus Lines at (413)663-9985 or Morgan-Dufour Tours at (800)344-3979 or (413)665-8121 in case you do not want classmates to drive to events.

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REUNION PLANNING TIMETABLE

September • Save-the-Date postcard mailed • Reunion Planning Weekend • Lock in Reunion Chairs • Reserve hotel rooms

February • Draft Reunion letter for mailing in early March. (Sample letters available from Alumni Relations.) * Complete survey for reunion registration

October • Lock in Class Dinner Sites and Caterer • Discuss class gift/giveaway items, music, meals and bar beverages with committee.

March • Implement outreach plans to boost attendance. • Send Letter with registration forms and instructions • On-line registration to go live:

MARCH 16, 2016 November • Discuss reunion budget with treasurer. • Send holiday greetings and a reunion update via the class listserv.

April • Send reunion attendance updates via messages to listserv.

December • Ask committee members to finalize costs of their parts of reunion. • Report golf chair’s name to staff.

May • Remind classmates of reunion deadlines via the class listserv. • Confirm committee is set with class gift/giveaway item, music, and meal details. • Finalize succession plans for next class officers.

January • Finalize class fees with treasurer. • Communicate with class via class listserv. • Begin succession plans for new class officers.

June • Report final numbers to caterers. • Discuss plans for dinner remarks with president. • Review final details with committee. REUNION! June 9-12, 2016 Post-Reunion: • Review attendance list to confirm “walk-ins” and “no-shows.” • Send bills to treasurer for payment. • Send email to class list serve reporting on the reunion • Finalize the reunion expense summary.

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REUNION WRAP UP

The staff asks that the reunion chair take care of a few housekeeping details, listed below, upon completion of your reunion: CONFIRM THE GUEST LIST – Please work with the Alumni Relations Staff to confirm "walk-ins" and "no-shows" so that the College has a very accurate record of who attended your reunion. PAY YOUR REUNION BILLS – The staff will seek your approval to transfer funds for internal bills. Please submit all other bills to the College so that payment can be from your class account. SUBMIT YOUR FINANCIAL REPORT – By August 1, please submit a full financial report on your reunion – amounts charged classmates, spouses, children; the total collected; and with all expenditures itemized in detail. Your statement will be as helpful to future reunion chairs as your predecessors' summaries are to you. We stand ready throughout the year to answer specific questions about reunion planning and to help you create a spectacular weekend for you and your classmates. All of us await your calls. Good luck planning your reunion!

Ashley Weeks Cart ‘05 Associate of Alumni Relations Director of Classes and Reunions 413-597-4152 Ashley.W.Cart@gmail.com