The Student Alumni Board (SAB) and Student Alumni Association (SAA), formerly REAL Razorbacks, are taking on a new look and structure beginning this school year. SAB has served as the primary outreach from the Association to the student body for over 12 years. R.E.A.L. Razorbacks, an open student membership program in the Association was adopted in 2003 and served to connect with students campus wide. After a review of each program’s purpose, intended programs and outcomes, changes were designed to help the Association meet its goals while remaining appealing to current students.

The Arkansas Alumni Association has set three goals that every program or event sponsored by the Student Alumni Board must meet. These three goals are:

  • To educate students about the Arkansas Alumni Association
  • To connect students and alumni
  • To preserve University of Arkansas traditions

To meet these goals, the structure of the Student Alumni Board for the 2010-11 academic year has changed. The size of the traditional SAB, typically from 40–50 students, has been decreased to a board of directors made up of seven students. This board will be responsible for producing quality programming for the campus as well as creating and implementing new ways to involve alumni. This SAB Board of Directors will be accountable for recruiting their own volunteers from the Student Alumni Association to serve as committee members.

In the Spring of 2010, Heath Bowman, Graduate Assistant and Student Programs Coordinator, and Laurel Draudt, Assistant Director, actively recruited students for the board of directors across several academic disciplines and student organizations which brought an increase of 300% in the number of applicants for the seven positions compared to the applications received for the Executive Board the previous year. A database of more than 130 students has already been created of SAA members who have shown interest since March in volunteering with the organization. This restructuring will allow the freshman class to get involved as soon as they step on campus, will place each volunteer in a role of specific interest to that individual, and will not limit the Alumni Association’s annual operational engagement to only 40-50 students.

Student membership in SAA will continue to offer discounts to local and online merchants including the 5% discount on textbooks to the University Bookstore and 10% discount on merchandise at the Razorback Shop.

We are moving into the next stage of student programs with excitement and energy and invite you to follow and to be a part of our journey. You can find more information about our changes at www.arkansasalumni.org/students and follow our progress through electronic communications (we’re on Facebook & Twitter) and ARKANSAS magazine as a member of the Association throughout the year.