<H1>Frequently Asked Questions </H1>
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<TD width=350>
<P>Questions About Our Web Site</P>
<OL>
<LI><A href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#register">Do
I have to register to use the Alumni Web site? And does it cost
anything?</A>
<LI><A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#alumni_id">What's
my "Alumni ID?" </A>
<LI><A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#register2">How can
I register if I can't find a piece of alumni mail?</A><A></A>
<LI><A href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#junkmail">If
I register, will I start getting junk e-mail?</A>
<LI><A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#unlisted">What if I
don't want to be listed on the Internet at all?</A>
<LI><A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#domainname">Why are
some pages at "IllinoisState.edu" and some are at
"IllinoisStateAlumni.org?"</A> </LI></OL>
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<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P></TD>
<TD width=344>
<P>Questions about our services</P>
<OL>
<LI><A href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#dues">What
are the dues to join the Alumni Association?</A>
<LI><A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#transcript">How can
I order a copy of my transcript?</A>
<LI><A href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#contact">How
can I get the address or phone number of a friend I've lost touch
with?</A>
<LI><A href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#update">How
can I update my address?</A>
<LI><A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#keep_updated">Why
is it so important to keep my information updated?</A>
<LI><A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#magazine">I'd like
my college friends to know about my new job/marriage/award, etc. How can
I get my information in the <EM>Illinois State</EM> magazine?</A>
<LI><A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#free_internet">As
an alum, can I get free Internet access through the University or the
Alumni Association?</A>
<LI><A href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/ilstuaccount">I'm
about to graduate. Do I get to keep my ilstu account as an alum?</A>
<LI><A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#alumni_list">I now
live far away from campus. Can I get a list of alumni who live in my
area?</A>
<LI><A href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#nominate">I
know another Illinois State alum whose career success is really
impressive. How can I nominate him/her for alumni recognition?
</A></LI></OL></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<H2>Questions About Our Web Site </H2>
<H3>1. Do I have to register to use the Alumni Web site? And does it cost
anything?</H3>
<P>There is a wide variety of information on the site that does not require
registration. However, to access certain special services, yes, registration is
required. These special services include updating your personal information
online, including sharing news and a photo with fellow alumni; searching the
Online Directory; and sending Web postcards.</P>
<P>Regarding cost, no - there is no fee for the services on the Alumni Web site.
(There is an online event registration service where you can make payment for
alumni events - but any payment is for the event. There is no surcharge.)</P>
<H3>2. What's my "Alumni ID"?<A id=alumni_id name=alumni_id></A></H3>
<P>When you first register, you'll need to provide this ID just to verify your
identity. It is a string of nine all-capital letters that can be found on the
label of your alumni magazine as well as most mailings that come from Alumni
Relations. Enter only the letters, and in all capitals. From that point on, any
time you use one of the password-protected features of the site, you will only
be asked for the User ID and Password that you pick at registration.</P>
<H3><A href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/faq.shtml#register2"></A>3.
How can I register if I can't find a piece of alumni mail?<A id=register2
name=register2></A></H3>
<P>You can just leave the Alumni ID box blank, and continue through the process.
Then you'll need to wait for e-mail confirmation of your registration, which can
take up to three days.</P>
<H3>4. If I register, will I start getting junk e-mail?<A id=junkmail
name=junkmail></A></H3>
<P>You must provide a valid e-mail address to register for the Web site.
However, you'll be given a choice of whether or not you wish to receive
University e-mail. Examples of University e-mail include the monthly
<EM>Alumni</EM> <EM>News</EM> E-newsletter and special event notices for your
geographic or special interest area.<BR><BR>Regardless of whether you elect to
receive University e-mail, it's important to keep your e-mail address and your
other personal information current so that former classmates looking you up in
the Online Directory can "blind" e-mail you (send you a message without seeing
the address).</P>
<P>Very importantly, you should know that we do <EM>not</EM> provide alumni
e-mail addresses to any outside organization (except, of course, our Web site
company)! For more information, see our <A
href="http://www.illinoisstate.edu/alumni/privacy.shtm">Privacy Statement</A>.
If you should ever suspect that an e-mail message is not really from the Alumni
staff, please don't hesitate to <A
href="http://www.illinoisstatealumni.org/contact.htm">contact us</A>.</P>
<H3>5. What if I don't want to be listed on the Internet at all?<A id=unlisted
name=unlisted></A></H3>
<P>That's certainly an option. In the site registration process, you can choose
whether you want your record to show up at all. Or, you can pick and choose
which pieces of information about you show up to fellow alumni using the Online
Directory.</P>
<P>And please note - the only people who can see this information are other
Illinois State alumni who have registered. The directory is <EM>not</EM>
public.</P>
<H3>6. Why are some pages at "IllinoisState.edu" and some are at
"IllinoisStateAlumni.org"?<A id=domainname name=domainname></A></H3>
<P>Our Web site is a "hybrid" site. Part of it resides on servers at Illinois
State and part of it resides on vendor servers (at the .org address). Our
carefully-selected vendor, Internet Association Corporation, helps us by
providing some Web services that would tax limited University resources. Alumni
staff monitor the entire site on a regular basis.</P>
<P>Of course, some pages are simply links to other campus departments. For
example, if you click on <A
href="http://www.arr.ilstu.edu/students/current/transcripts/reportvstranscript.shtml">Transcripts
&amp; Diploma Information</A>, you'll go the University Registrar's Web site. If
you click on <A
href="http://www.ilstu.edu/depts/SAPS/NEWWEBSITE/Alumni%20Section/alumnipage.shtml">Career
Center</A>, you'll go to the University Career Center, which also provides
services to alumni.</P>
<H2>General Questions About Services for Alumni</H2>
<H3>1. What are the dues to join the Alumni Association?<A id=dues
name=dues></A></H3>
<P>Nothing! All graduates of Illinois State University are automatic members of
the Alumni Association. Former students who did not graduate may become members
by asking to be included and providing their current information for alumni
records.</P>
<H3>2. How can I order a copy of my transcript?<A id=transcript
name=transcript></A></H3>
<P>Transcripts are provided through the Office of the University Registrar.
Complete details for ordering transcripts are available at the <A
href="http://www.arr.ilstu.edu/students/current/transcripts/reportvstranscript.shtml">Registrar's
Web site Transcripts page</A>. </P>
<H3>3. How can I get the address or phone number of a friend I've lost touch
with?<A id=contact name=contact></A></H3>
<P>We have two options for you.</P>
<P>First, the Alumni Web site allows you, once registered, to browse for the
individual in our Online Directory. If s/he has registered, some information may
appear in the directory. If the person is not registered but we have an e-mail
address on file, you will be able to send a "blind" e-mail -- that is, you won't
get the address, but can still send the person a message.</P>
<P>Secondly, we provide a <A
href="http://www.illinoisstate.edu/alumni/locator.shtml">Find a Friend - Alumni
Locator Service</A> in which we will, if possible, contact the alum on your
behalf and invite him/her to contact you.</P>
<P>To protect the privacy of all our alumni, Alumni Relations does not directly
provide alumni information.</P>
<H3>4. How can I update my address?<A id=update name=update></A></H3>
<P>There are several ways to do this, and it's important that you do so any time
your address or business information changes.</P>
<P>Web users can go to the page <A
href="http://www.illinoisstatealumni.org/updateuserinfo.htm?sitename=ILSU&amp;p=0">Update
My Information</A> and then follow the directions. Using your user ID and
password, you can update at any time.</P>
<P>If it's easier, you can simply <A
href="mailto:isualum@IllinoisState.edu">e-mail the Alumni staff</A>.</P>
<P>Of course, we welcome your phone calls, too. Alumni office phone numbers and
other contact information is available on the Web at <A
href="http://www.alumni.ilstu.edu/about_us/staff/index.shtml">Contact
Us</A>.</P>
<H3>5. Why is it so important to keep my information updated?<A id=keep_updated
name=keep_updated></A></H3>
<P>Keeping your postal and e-mail addresses current means you will receive an
uninterrupted flow of information from the University - including the
<EM>Illinois State</EM> alumni magazine, the <EM>Illinois State E-lumni
News</EM> E-newsletter, and special invitations and newsletters from Alumni
Relations as well as campus departments. We hope you'll find these valuable.</P>
<P>Your e-mail address is particularly important to keep current. In these
difficult financial times, the University can save a lot of money by being able
to e-mail you - and e-mails that don't really interest you can be glanced at and
deleted quickly, of course. However, if you prefer not to receive e-mails from
the University, the Web site update process allows you to opt in or opt out of
e-mail at any time.</P>
<H3>6. I'd like my college friends to know about my new job/marriage/award, etc.
How can I get my information in the <EM>Illinois State</EM> magazine?<A
id=magazine name=magazine></A></H3>
<P>The <A
href="http://www.illinoisstatealumni.org/updateuserinfo.htm">update</A> form on
our Web site includes a section for news -- job changes, awards, honors, or
family changes you would like reported. If your organization sends press
releases about promotions and honors, please include the Alumni office at
Illinois State on your list of contacts. We can't guarantee publication of your
information, but we will do our best to use submissions as space and deadlines
allow.</P>
<H3>7. As an alum, can I get free Internet access through the University or the
Alumni Association?<A id=free_internet name=free_internet></A></H3>
<P>Unfortunately, no. We would love to provide free Internet access, but that's
not a service University resources could handle. To try to provide Internet
access to 165,000 alumni and their families would overwhelm the resources needed
for our 25,000 students, faculty, and staff who need it for the University's
direct mission - educating students.</P>
<H2>8. I'm about to graduate. Do I get to keep my ilstu account as an alum?<A
id=ilstuaccount name=ilstuaccount></A></H2>
<P>Your "ilstu" e-mail account will stay active for approximately six months
after you graduate, as a courtesy from the University to give you time to get a
new e-mail provider. You will receive automatic notices at the beginning of the
four-month period, at two weeks remaining, seven days remaining, and then every
day until the account is removed. After that, it is de-activated.</P>
<H3>9. I now live far away from campus. Can I get a list of alumni who live in
my area?<A id=alumni_list name=alumni_list></A></H3>
<P>Alumni Relations does not provide lists of alumni except for official
University business. We do, however, provide a wide variety of options for
alumni to get together through chapters and regional events. If you're
interested, check out our <A
href="http://www.illinoisstatealumni.org/chapters.htm">Chapters &amp; Clubs</A>
information.</P>
<H3>10. I know another Illinois State alum whose career success is really
impressive. How can I nominate him/her for alumni recognition?<A id=nominate
name=nominate></A></H3>
<P>At whatever stage an alum may be in his/her career, we love to hear about
career paths and successes. For those whose accomplishments are truly
outstanding, the Alumni Association honors alumni with four categories of
awards: Outstanding Young Alumni Award, Alumni Achievement Award, the E. Burton
Mercier Alumni Service Award, and the Distinguished Alumni Award. Complete
descriptions of these awards, their criteria, and how to nominate someone are
available at the <A
href="http://www.illinoisstate.edu/alumni/awards.shtml">Alumni Awards</A>
page.</P>
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