OT - Horay! Get your alumni association membership from Groupon for half off
If you're able to purchase this doesn't that mean you have a degree from UM? Not embarrassed about that at all.
Anyone can join. I'm a member, I never went to Michigan.
Interesting.
And, interestingly enough, the Alumni Association is run by a guy who didn't even go to Michigan.
One would think Michigan could actually find an actual alum to be the AAUM President, right?
I'm not sure why it matters that he isn't an alum. It is an administrative position, with job responsibilities very similar to a lot of other adminstrative positions. There are a lot of administrators at UM that aren't alums, just like there are a lot of professors who didn't graduate from UM. Should every coach and administrator in the Athletic Department be a former UM athlete?
I wondered how long it would take someone to insert Dave Brandon into this discussion.
if you are a recent graduate this isnt a good deal at all. go to the alumni website and notice that if you graduated less than 5 years ago, then it only costs $25 per year.
Don't we already have the biggest alumni association? Seems like a good way to get new people involved! I think they have a big push going on right now, one of my friends is a "captain" and is trying to recruit other people to help her recruit new members. We renew annually but we plan to buy the lifetime membership next year.
Edited to add it's for a 2-year membership. $69 for single, $79 for joint.
you will receive a one year suspension.
It took me a minute to get this but once I did I actually laughed- hats off to you for this comment
but I don't see the point. I've been out in the real world for a few years and still feel reasonably connected by the network of Michigan bars. Not sure what benefits you get from AAUM that make it worth the money
Every event the club hosts they offer two prices, aluimni and non-alumni. I go to so many of the events, why not get it?
You should take a quick look at joining. I'm a long time member and last year decided to shop my insurance. Went through the AAUM, had them quote and between house and cars saved $700 from what I had been paying. It basically paid for a lifetime membership. There are other benefits if you dig through the website.
Would you?
What you get from it: discounts on alumni association events (there are very many that do not involve watching a sporting event), access to single-game football tickets (not worth much this year, but usually is a big perk), business and career networking, discounts on a number of products/services. The dues are tax-deductible, too.
You are all missing Camp Michigania - the best membership benefit of the Alumni Association.
gross? your attitude is gross. all a michigan degree means is that your daddy had enough money to send you there. OSU, U of I, Wisconsin, all Big Ten schools are the same thing. I met a Michigan Man at the mall the other day....he was working at a zumiez skateboard shop. he made my little brother his skateboard. i love michigan sports, but i really hate the snobby alumni who think they are important
Brilliant. BTW, if Mike Kenn knew you were smearing his good name with posts like this, he'd kick your ass.
I mean....you don't think it's a little strange that non-alums can join the ALUMNI association?
My parents didn't pay a dime for me to go (except maybe the occasional spending money). I did BS and MS on scholarships, loans, and jobs. You can shove it.
I've got two degrees from Michigan, and my father provided about $2,000 total.
Never been interested in joining, since I could never discern any tangible benefit for the $$ that exceeded the cost. However, I had no idea that non-UM grads could join, which if true is ridiculous. Putting it on Groupon further commodifies—and devalues—membership, like it was a restaurant dessert or movie tickets.
The fact that the Alumni Association is run by somebody who isn't a UM grad just renders the thing a farce. We're hammered every day with the whole "Leaders and Best" hoo-ha, yet they can't find within the illustrious alumni base anybody capable of running the Association?
many of the students at michigan pay their own way, your comment is insulting to them
I had a 3.9 and a 28 and still got put on the WAIT LIST for a couple of weeks before getting in! (This was pre-Gratz decision, of course.)
Liking an organizations sports team is different than being a part of the organization, especailly when the university isn't in existence for its sports.
Allowing outsiders to join is not a new concept. My parents (football and basketball season ticket holders since '79) joined the AAUM in 1992 and neither of them ever attended UM.
The people running AAUM and Dave Brandon have nothing to do with this. It's been an option for quite a long time.
was truly debating about taking advantage. . . I never joined up even after I graduated.
I seem to recall a discussion here a few months ago that anyone that attended U of M (even without graduating) is considered an alum.
Have you searched "groupon alumni"? Sparties and buckers are scoring jokes off of us because of this. This really does cheapen the value of the membership. It's sad that the alumni association has gotten so desparate.
The organization is falling apart, many of my alumni friends have grown tired or even angry of the organization. The University really needs to take it over andrun it the right way for the right reasons.
Instead of joining the alumni association, consider donating to ANY part of the university to really make a difference.
I haven't seen any evidence that the organization is falling apart. Alumni organizations exist to help keep alums connected to their schools. They encourage you to join by providing certain services that you may or may not like or want - things like a magazine, alumni events, discounts for things like insurance, etc. If you don't like those things, don't join. I joined the Alumni Association for one reason - access to Camp Michigania. For me, that made it worth well more than the cost.
I agree that donations (above the cost of AAUM membership) are better directed elsewhere in the University. I give annually to the School I graduated from. I know I got a good education there and I feel that I am paying back for the financial support I got from UM while I was a student. I love UM sports, but refuse to donate to the Athletic Department, including PSDs - which has caused me to give up my season basketball tickets after 23 years.
I will admit I had no idea anyone could join the "alumni" association. As this is true, is this standard policy? I.e. for $1000 I could be in 10 alumni associations? Is that standard across Big 10 schools? Also why is it named alumni association if that appears to have nothing to do with the membership? Maybe they should just call it "Friends of the University of Michigan".
Makes sense to have an association that anyone who wants to be a fan of UM be part of, but this sure is misleading labeling.
I won't belong to any organization that would have me as a member.
I am embarassed by the greed that has hijacked my Alma mater. What is wrong with these people?
Welcome to Dave Brandon's michigan, As soon as the Alumni Association saw the profits rolling in for athletics they knew they had to copy Brandon's Domino's Pizza strategy.