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Membership and Marketing
Membership and Marketing subcommittee
The Membership and Marketing subcommittee is pleased to provide this report on its activities in 2022. The roles and responsibilities of this subcommittee are provided in regulation 34.2.
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Membership in 2022
The Membership and Marketing subcommittee has been undertaking a necessary review of the Association’s members throughout the 2022 year. This analysis has allowed the association to:
• Evaluate the active members of the association;
• Review the membership database of the association.
By 31st December 2022, the Association had 1360 active registered members comprising,
• Life Members 964
• Graduate Members (non-resident) 325
• Associate Members 20
• Organisation Members 51
With increased occupancy during 2022 there were also 260 Resident members. Past residents of Graduate House (Graduate Union College Alumni) totalled over 2,000. It is important to note that the data base of GUCA goes back more than ten years, and that alumni generally do not continue their membership of the GU after leaving the College. These past resident members (GUCA) are being contacted to ascertain that their contact information is up to date and whether they wish communications from the Graduate Union to continue. Some email addresses are no longer current and response rates from this group have been low. The total number of active Members in each division at the end of 2022 is shown in the following pie-chart.
During the past year, the subcommittee has been supported by Cr Fausto Marasco and the General Manager who completed a profile of Graduate members (as distinct from Life members), initially with respect to age and length of membership. The age demographic of Graduate members is important as the following graph shows:
With the majority of our current active Graduate members over the age of 70, there is a clear need to increase the number of GU members in the early and mid-career (25-45 years) age group to foster and preserve a vibrant and active GU into the future. This goal has informed our strategic goals for the next period 2023-2026. It also indicates the importance of the GU providing activities, amenities and services not only for its current and loyal members but also to engage and attract more recent graduates to join the GU.
Membership Strategic Priorities and G-Union Master Plan
The Membership and Marketing subcommittee monitors and delivers on the ‘Innovative Influential Membership’ priority of the 2022-2024 Strategic Plan. At the Strategic Planning Day in July 2022 the Council and subcommittee were brought together to plan out the next steps for the Association post-pandemic. How to build the membership of the Graduate Union Association became a key focus of discussion and planning of the Membership and Marketing subcommittee.
The subcommittee was directed by The Council to undertake key analysis of the current membership to ascertain who are our active members and provide strategic goals for the near future for the Association. Some of these goals for the future are:
• Understanding the expectations of current and future Graduate Union members;
• Analysis of the Graduate House website and communication avenues; and
• Develop programs to engage current members to spend more time at Graduate House;
• Prepare a strategic plan (2023-2026) to engage and increase the membership of early and midcareer graduates.
It is worth listing the following six strategic planning goals that have been developed by the subcommittee over the past twelve months. (Special thanks to Ms Shelley Jones for her advice and assistance in this area.)
1. Employ computer-based and data-driven reporting on current GU Membership to target future programs
Develop an ongoing, detailed computer-based reporting strategy to analyse and understand our memberships trends, including age and length of membership, including patterns of donations/ benefactions, and to report to Council on a 6-month basis with recommendations to implement.
2. Understand Expectations of current GU Members
Develop programs to engage current GU members expectations through face-to-face meetings and online (computer) based programs. The programs will include GU patterns of giving/donations.
3. Partner with the Funding & Benefactions Subcommittee for the mid-year Appeal
Work closely with the Funding & Benefactions Subcommittee to develop an annual strategy for the mid-year Appeal. The strategies will include a program in 2023 in which GU members will be invited to ‘sponsor a new member’.
4. Develop a program to engage current members to spend more time at the GU
The program will involve events such as monthly get togethers, inviting members to mentor current residents on both English conversations and specific support in helping the post graduate work for students, etc.
5. Partner with Melbourne University to enhance the profile of the GU and to promote the advantages of GU Membership
Develop an annual marketing and communications program, using social media etc, that highlights the services and advantages of becoming a member of the GU. Specific focus will be on engaging Melbourne University students and recent graduates.
6. Partner with Melbourne University to develop annual program specifically for graduates and nearly completing graduates to consider GU membership
Partner with Melbourne University to develop an annual program for nearly completing graduates and transitioning post-graduates to consider the advantages of GU membership towards the end of the academic year. (An initial focus could be on transitioning from study to work and involve MU support services and GU members.)
Meeting Services and GU-Collegiate events
In 2022, we saw the slow return of attendees to face to face and hybrid meetings held at Graduate House. The number attendees rose slowly throughout the year as confidence returned that meetings would go ahead without cancellation due to the pandemic. This is expected to increase into 2023. Communication through postage began with the Annual Report Magazine and all newsletters being sent out to members.
GU-Collegiate events continued to be hybrid meetings with some members continuing to attend online. The annual General Meeting on Thursday 26th May 2022, saw close to 50 members face to face and 8 members online, with a great number attending the Dinner afterwards. The return after 2 years of the Chairman’s Cocktail party attended by 80 members and guests, on the 2nd December 2022, was especially uplifting for the Council and all members. The Members Christmas Party held on Friday 16th December ended the year off with all attendees enjoying Christmas carol singing and a scrumptious meal.
Thanks goes to all members who attend GU collegiate functions, come in for a drink or meal in the Dining Room or continue to communicate with The Graduate Union.
2023 Activities
In line with the above strategic objectives, Graduate Union looks forward to building the Association’s presence and awareness within the University of Melbourne; to enhancing communication to graduates of The University of Melbourne; involving early and mid-career graduates more generally; and building up the membership of the Association.
In conclusion, I extend my gratitude to the 2022 Membership and Marketing subcommittee members — Mr Keith Ryall (Chairperson until May 2022) for his exceptional leadership as Chair for many years of the subcommittee, Ms Rosie Maddick (Co-ViceChairperson), Cr Martin Comte OAM (Co-ViceChairperson May 2022), Cr Sarah Banks (Co-ViceChairperson until January 2022), Cr Molina Asthana, Ms Jan Hocking, Cr Mary R. Kelleher, and Cr David Israel (from June 2022). I thank also the dedicated and hardworking staff at Graduate House for their warm hospitality, professionalism, hard work and dedication.
