Tulane University leadership boasts a deep connection with the university’s alumni base, and critical to that connection is one specific role: the Tulane Alumni Association representative to the Board of Tulane.
Lori Hurvitz, associate vice president of Alumni Relations, points out that Tulane has structured in a powerful conduit for the alumni voice through this role. “I think it’s wonderful that the Board of Tulane recognizes the importance of the alumni voice as an important stakeholder in their decision-making process.”
She points out that while many universities’ boards of administrators have an alumni representative serving as an ex officio member who can provide input but not vote, Tulane powerfully demonstrates their commitment to the alumni voice through the full standing it offers the Tulane Alumni Association’s Board of Tulane representative during their tenure.
Rusty Pickering (E ’91) has stood as the TAA Board Rep for the past four years, extending the typical three-year term for an additional year because of the pandemic. It’s a role that Pickering, a former Tulane Alumni Association president, has relished. “People who are dedicated enough to being alumni to become president of the alumni association really immerse themselves in alumni relations, what is the value of alumni to the university and what is the best way to maximize the strategic value of alumni relations to the university.
“Alumni are the foundation of any university,” Pickering says. “Alumni and alumni relations are really core to the mission and the success of any university. The more successful you are in alumni relations, the more connected you are to your alumni base, the more successful you can be as a university.”
“The more successful you are in alumni relations, the more connected you are to your alumni base, the more successful you can be as a university.”
– Rusty Pickering (E ’91), Tulane Alumni Association representative to the Board of Tulane
Hurvitz adds, “The role is really that of an alumni voice to the Board of Tulane. And it helps us align some of the things that we are thinking about with what they are thinking about.” At 160,000 strong, alumni are the largest constituency of university stakeholders, so it is important that their voices are heard.
The Tulane Alumni Association Nominating Committee selects three candidates for the important role. Then, the associate vice president of Alumni Relations in turn writes a memo on their behalf, which is forwarded to the office of the Board of Tulane.
And Hurvitz was thrilled to have Pickering’s insight for an additional year, noting that his past service as TAA president made him strongly suited to the role. “He is such a great person to represent the TAA because he is so ingrained with the university but also cares so deeply about alumni.”
Pickering is enthusiastic about how the unique role provides a conduit of useful information both from the TAA to the Board of Tulane and vice versa. “I take the perspective and the learnings and the processes from the alumni association to the big board but also take the information and the knowledge and the bigger picture issues that the university is facing or the successes we have and bring that back to the alumni board.”
Pickering, who has held successful roles in the engineering, legal and business arenas, is particularly suited to facilitating understanding among differing audiences. He was fascinated by the close-up view of how the university operates — from financial and information security to legal and risk issues. But a Tulanian to the core, he confided, “My favorite part are the people you meet and the relationships that you form. It’s a very interesting group of people. Everybody’s got a different perspective, but they are all accomplished, smart and interesting.
“I’ve been on the alumni board off and on now for 20 years, and there is value not only in the work that you do for the university, but the relationships that you build. This has given me an opportunity not only to build relationships with interesting people, but with people who are as passionate about Tulane University as I am.”