June 30, 2011

Dear BACCHUS Network Peer Education Group Affiliate Advisors:

Warm wishes for a healthy and safe summer as you plan for the Fall semester and take some time to charge your batteries for the start of the academic year.

I am writing to inform you of recent action taken at our Board of Trustees Meeting held on June 28, 2011. This action concerns a proposed plan to assess membership fees to campus affiliates. In order to continue the high level of program support that our affiliates have come to expect, the Board of Trustees is recommending that for the first time in our 36-year history, that BACCHUS assess an annual membership fee in the 2011-2012 academic year. Below is the existing by-law that explains how this process will be undertaken.

In accordance with the By-Laws of The BACCHUS Network, Article III. Membership, Section 6. “The Board of Trustees may assess membership fees and dues for BACCHUS affiliates and national members, and may change or eliminate any such fees so long as all fees are applied uniformly to affiliates, and passed by a two thirds majority vote of the House of Delegates. Proposed changes must be distributed in writing to all affiliates a minimum of four months in advance of the General Assembly.”

This decision does not come without a great deal of examination. As you are likely aware, over the last decade there has been a great negative shift in resources available to fund nonprofits like BACCHUS due to the economic uncertainty that has persisted since 9/11 and the reductions in Federal and State funding available to support prevention and health promotion programs. There are broad pressures to further reduce budgets in the current political and economic climate. BACCHUS has already seen our grant and corporate revenue drop by more than 60% in the last three years.

Despite all expense cutting and organization revenue generating measures we have enacted to date, the BACCHUS organization must create a new operational model and sustainability plan to secure our future as a national student leadership organization promoting healthy and safe campuses. Our proposal to be discussed at the delegates meeting will be an annual affiliate membership fee of approximately $300.00. This suggested annual fee is very common for membership organizations in higher education and is substantially less than what most student leadership, fraternal or academic honoraries, charge their members.

To help clearly demonstrate the benefits of BACCHUS affiliation, a complete membership package and program will be further developed at our July Summer Leadership Meeting of area consultants and student advisory committee members, as well as key stakeholders that includes the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees. We will communicate the results of planning efforts and create channels of communication to all of our affiliates throughout the Fall leading up to the General Assembly so that you have all of the information regarding this plan.

The final proposed membership program will be included as a discussion item for our Delegates Meeting held at The General Assembly in Reston, Virginia, on Saturday, November 5. As the campus advisor of record, please share this information with your student peer educators who are members of your campus affiliate and keep them informed of any communication forthcoming.

We know and recognize that across the country our campuses are coping with a recessionary economy along with us. These are challenging times for all involved. At the core of our organization is the philosophy that our students play a unique role in promoting campus health and safety among their peers and The BACCHUS Network is dedicated to continuing to provide the support and resources necessary for campuses to effectively develop peer educators as student leaders. It is the Board of Trustees hope that you will support the plan for long-term sustainability for the continued success and vital growth of The BACCHUS Network.

We hope that the 36-year history of BACCHUS serving institutions of higher education and campus professionals, the hundreds of thousands of students who have gained exemplary leadership development through their experiences with BACCHUS, and the compassionate spirit and desire to continue this student initiative, will build a strong foundation of support for the future generations of students.

Thank you for all you do as a BACCHUS advisor. Look for more important information about this proposal during the new academic year.

Best wishes,

Dr. Ed Hammond