Subject: You’re Invited
Fellow Yalies:
I'm happy to pass on this message from the Yale Corporation:
You’re invited to vote in this year’s upcoming Yale Alumni Fellow Election. This election selects an alum to serve on the Yale Corporation (i.e., the Board of Trustees) as a full member alongside 15 other trustees and the university president, for a term of 6 years.
For alumni. By alumni.
Voting opened on April 18 and will go through May 22 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The slate was chosen by the alumni volunteers serving on the Alumni Fellow Nominating Committee along with our two partners from university leadership, entirely from a pool of candidates submitted by you – fellow Yale alumni. Each nomination was considered.
We cannot impress upon you enough how unique this opportunity is to select a person to serve on a university corporation. It is one of the only channels for alumni to select board members at any peer institution.
Please make your voice heard by voting! All ballot material for the Alumni Fellow election will be distributed by Election Services Company and will be sent from yalehelp@mg.electionservicescorp.com and/or yalehelp@electionservicescorp.com. If you have not received your ballot, please email yalehelp@electionservicescorp.com or call 866-720-HELP.
Participation last year was 17%. Let’s make it 20% for 2022.
On behalf of fellow alums, thank you for making a difference for Yale.
Sincerely,
Bartley Großerichter, BA '88
President, The Yale Club of Germany
Alumni Fellow Nomination and Election Process
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Yale Corporation Alumni Fellow Election?
● The Alumni Fellow Election is the process by which no fewer than two alumni candidates, nominated by their peers, stand for election to the board of the Yale Corporation.
● Each year, eligible Yale alumni vote to elect one of these candidates as a new Alumni Fellow to serve a 6-year term to the Yale Corporation.
● The six trustees of the Yale Corporation who join the board through the Alumni Fellow Election are designated “alumni fellows.”
What is the Yale Corporation?
● The Yale Corporation, the university’s board of trustees, is the principal governing and fiduciary body which ensures Yale’s academic and administrative leadership are guided by sound policies and practices as they further Yale’s mission.
● The Corporation includes the president of the university and 16 Yale graduates: 10 appointed successor trustees and 6 elected alumni fellows. The governor and lieutenant governor of Connecticut serve as ex officio board members .
How are alumni involved in the Alumni Fellow candidate selection process?
● The Alumni Fellow selection process is led by alumni in every aspect, from nomination and candidate selection through to election.
How does someone become a nominee?
● Nominations can be made by any Yale alum, and the process is open year-round. You can nominate a fellow Yale alum online using the Alumni Fellow Nomination Form .
How do Alumni Fellows stand for election?
● Candidates are reviewed and selected by the Alumni Fellow Nominating Committee (AFNC), a standing committee of the YAA, chaired by and consisting predominantly of alumni volunteers. The AFNC selects candidates based on their ability to bring perspective and experience to advance the university’s mission. For more details of the election process, please visit the Help Center for Alumni Fellow Election
Why should I care about the Alumni Fellow election?
● Through the election process, Yale alums have the opportunity to influence how the university’s board of trustees works to preserve and extend Yale’s mission for this and future generations. Visit the Board of Trustees webpage to learn more and to view a short video on the trustee experience from three alums.
Why is voting important?
● The Alumni Fellow Election is a vital way for Yale graduates to contribute to the oversight and governance of the university. With your vote, you have a say in who will be the next Alumni Fellow of the Yale Corporation.
● Voting is a privilege because Yale is unique among peer institutions in enabling alums to select a significant proportion of the board of trustees, any of whom can be appointed for additional service as successor trustees. (Two current successor trustees previously joined the board as alumni fellows, so half of the 16 trustees were currently or previously nominated and elected by the alumni.)
How do I vote?
● Eligible alumni who have an email address on file with the university will receive a ballot electronically. Alumni who cannot be reached by email receive paper ballots in the mail. If you have not received your ballot, please reach out to alumnifellowelection@yale.edu .
● All graduates of Yale College who have held their degrees for five years or more, all alumni of the graduate and professional schools, and all individuals who hold Yale honorary degrees are eligible to vote.
