Shared Interest Group
Shared Interest Groups are constituent units of the Texas Southern University National Alumni Association. A Shared Interest Group is a group of people who share interests, goals, common bond or background, industry, profession, or cultural/heritage identity. These networks are built to engage alumni in activities and philanthropy related to an affinity connection in support of Texas Southern University, its students, and alumni.
Examples of a Shared Interest Group
Examples: TSU Debate Team Alumni Network, Tau Epsilon Alumni Network, TSU Alumni Entrepreneurs, TSU Tigers in Hollywood Alumni Network, Thurgood Marshall Personal Injury Lawyers Alumni Group, TSU Hispanic Alumni Network, TSU Alumni in Health, TSU Chorus Alumni…etc.
To view the SIG Onboarding Guide, click here
Requirements
Membership - Seven (7) or more active members of the Association who meet the criteria for membership as listed in Article IV, Section 2, may petition this Association for a shared interest group to be officially chartered.
Leadership - A shared interest group is required to have at least 4 individuals serve on the board. Required positions: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary. Each board member is required to complete a Code of Conduct form. All board members are required to be a paid member of the Texas Southern University Alumni Association.
Bylaws - Shared Interest Groups must submit proposed bylaws that are consistent with the Association bylaws for review and approval. SIG must have up-to-date, Association approved, bylaws on file with TSUNAA.
Elections - Upon receiving its charter, and thereafter, shared interest groups will elect officers biennially.
Reports - Each shared interest group will transmit financial and program reports to the national office as follows:
Annual accounting for all dues and funds received by March 15th
A membership list will be submitted to the Financial Secretary. Lists will include all current chapter members, including life members, with the date and amount of dues paid by each member.
To protect the Association’s 501(c)3 status, each SIG will file financial reports with the Association no later than thirty (30) days after the end of each calendar quarter.
Meetings - Shared interest groups must hold at least six membership meetings each year, in addition to board and committee meetings.
Activities
Hold at least one membership drive each year.
Hold at least one Texas Southern University student recruitment activity each year.
Hold at least one Texas Southern University fundraiser each year.
Financial - An annual maintenance fee of no less than five hundred ($500.00) dollars shall be paid to Texas Southern University National Alumni Association by each shared interest group.
Compliance - Comply with all federal, state, and local area laws, as well as regulations concerning activities of organizations exempt from income tax under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, including but not limited to refraining from endorsing political parties or candidates for public office.
Shared Interest Group Application
Frequently Asked Questions
How many delegates do shared interest groups receive?
Shared interest groups will elect or designate two (2) members to represent the group in the national election process
Do SIGs have representation on the TSUNAA Board of Directors?
Each SIG will have one representative on the TSUNAA Board of Directors
What types of programming/activities do SIGs offer?
SIG programming varies from group to group but, in all instances, such activities are organized around the interests of the SIG’s membership
Can alumni be a member of both a chapter and a shared interest group?
Yes, many alumni are members of more than one chapter today
How do SIGs differ from chapters?
Both chapters and SIGs seek to encourage and facilitate greater connections among TSU alumni, yet there are key differences between the two types of alumni groups.
TSUNAA chapters are organized around shared geography and university institutions, SIGs are organized around common interest/affiliation.
While TSUNAA Chapters engage alumni broadly, SIGs engage alumni around a specific focus. In this way, SIGs have created new entry points for alumni affiliation and engagement both with the University and among its graduates.
A chapter or Shared Interest Group shall be recognized by the Association as the only representative of the specified school, college, department, profession, industry, heritage group, or shared interest in which it has been granted a charter.
What resources does TSUNAA provide the SIGs?
TSUNAA provides SIGs with a full range of services.
Use of the TSUNAA Name or TSUNAA Mark (logos, designs, symbols)
Group listing on the TSUNAA website in an effort to help publicize the existence of the group, to attract new members
SIGs will have access to e-marketing and event registration platforms.
The TSUNAA Executive Board offers advice on nonprofit governance and overall best practices in nonprofit management.
TSUNAA helps groups organize and plan events such as assistance, and the extent of the assistance, will be determined by the relative scale, scope and strategic importance of the event at the discretion of TSUNAA.
For approved SIGs, TSUNAA will consider providing limited program funds. A SIG would request such funds in consultation with the finance team.
For your members to begin paying their dues to become charter members of your SIG, they will need to pay their national dues here. Any additional group fees will determined by your SIG.