Letter from the Board

15 November 2023

Dear Fellow American College Alumnus,

It was at this time last year that our brother, Bill Wegher, died unexpectedly. As you know, Bill was the Treasurer of the Alumni Association for many years. On November 30, 2022, the Association sent out a message to the Alumni announcing his death and indicating that the 2023 Reunion in Leuven would be postponed until more was known about the state of the Association’s finances and how to access the bank account.

Over the past year, our new treasurer, Chris Fusco, engaged the help of a Michigan attorney that Bill had originally retained to clarify the legal status of the Association and determine how we can restore our tax-exempt status. Then, in recent weeks, with updated legal documents in hand, Tony Bawyn opened a new bank account with donated funds, because the Board learned that Chase Bank closed the old bank account because of lack of funds. As you know, the Alumni Association has not collected dues in many years while still addressing its continuing expenses, some of which have been addressed through the personal generosity of members of the Board.

You may recall from a previous meeting the news that the Alumni Association lost its tax-exempt status with the IRS in approximately the year 2017 for failing to file the required Form 990 over a three-year period. You may also recall the decision made by the Board and Alumni Association to pursue reinstating the tax-exempt status with the IRS through the same Michigan attorney that Bill had initially retained. The purpose of this was to receive a large benefice that was intended for the Alumni Association from a recently deceased alumnus. This benefice, however, could not be distributed by the contract holder to the Alumni Association because the Alumni Association was no longer a tax-exempt entity. The Alumni Association is incorporated in the State of Michigan.

Part of the necessary process of pursuing the reinstatement of our tax-exempt status with the IRS would be to submit financial records and other governing documents concerning the Alumni Association, almost up to the beginning of its existence in approximately 2011.

Amidst the initial stages of compiling the necessary financial records and opening a new Alumni Association bank account, it was soon discovered there were recent and significant deficiencies over the past three years concerning financial reporting, proper appropriation, and questionable expenditures of funds from the recently closed Alumni Association bank account. These deficiencies would be extremely onerous and require a large amount of time and expense to address with the IRS. These recently discovered deficiencies have also had a negative impact on the financial health of the Alumni Association.

After hearing the advice of our Michigan attorney, the Board has decided to stop the process to restore our tax-exempt status with the IRS, especially considering the fact the Alumni Association lacks solvency. Furthermore, we are now also faced with the immediate challenge of addressing a legal bill of approximately $3,500 with no monetary resources.

Looking forward, the Board is again faced with having to postpone a Reunion in the summer of 2024, but we are encouraged by the suggestion of Jack Dick that we organize a celebration in 2025 in conjunction with the 600th anniversary of the Catholic University of Louvain. There is still support for holding this Reunion, but participants will have to pay all expenses directly and on their own absent any subsidization from the Alumni Association.

At this time, as we have not collected annual dues to the Alumni Association for many years, the Board has decided to reinstate this practice. We are asking your help to cover our outstanding legal bill of $3500 and other possible expenses in preparation for our final reunion in Louvain in 2025, perhaps some Zoom presentations, and eventual coming to completion of the Alumni Association civil corporation. As alluded to above, last Winter board members personally donated to retain our Michigan attorney and pay the initial and other outstanding expenses of the Alumni Association.

The suggested donation is $50, and we can call it your “yearly association dues” for calendar year 2024. Anything more than this suggested donation would also be warmly welcomed. Checks can be made out to “American College Alumni Association” and sent to Chris Fusco at the following address:

Christopher J. Fusco, Esq.

Diocese of Metuchen

146 Metlars Lane

Piscataway, New Jersey 08854

(See the ACAA 2024 Dues Form on the website.) If you should have any questions or concerns regarding the above, please feel free to reach out to any member of the Board.

Thank you for your generosity, patience, and ongoing understanding. On behalf of the entire Board, we wish you good health and peace.

Horace H. (Tuck) Grinnell, ’74

President

John A. Dick, ‘68

Vice President

Anthony Bawyn, 82,

Secretary

Christopher Fusco, ’97, ‘01

Treasurer

Bob Flannery, ‘73

Member

John Soares, ‘91

Member

Mark Moitoza, ‘94

Webmaster

Letter from the President

22 April 2023

Dear Louvainiste:

I trust this email message finds you well and you are having a joyous Easter season.

I wish to share that the American College Alumni Association Board has met several times during the past weeks and months to discuss several issues. The first was to appoint a new treasurer on account of the unexpected death of our treasurer, Bill Wegher, in November 2022. The board unanimously voted to ask Christopher Fusco to serve as treasurer and he has accepted the position.

In addition, so as to address IRS requirements as they pertain to 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations, the board has adopted as a matter of policy provisions that expands and enumerates the treasurer responsibilities as they are presently reflected in our bylaws, as well as adopt a conflict-of-interest policy.

The board also wishes to incorporate and include the expanded and enumerated treasurer responsibilities, as well as the conflict-of-interest policy, into the ACAA bylaws themselves.

As a result, I wish to announce that we will have a meeting of the ACAA membership on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time. At that meeting, we will vote on incorporating that language into the bylaws as well as to discuss recent developments and share some updates concerning the ACAA. (A link to register for the online Zoom meeting is found in the second button below this letter.)

You will find attached to this letter a draft copy of the bylaws with the proposed language in red font for your consideration and vote, (see the first button below this letter.)

I hope your schedule will allow you to attend this meeting of the membership. Of course, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or any other member of the ACAA board.

With all good wishes,

Horace H. (Tuck) Grinnell, AC '74

Tuck Grinnell, President
Jack Dick, Vice President
Tony Bawyn, Secretary
Chris Fusco, Treasurer
John Soares, Member-at-Large
Bob Flannery, Member-at-Large
Mark Moitoza, Webmaster

View the amended bylaws

Letter from the President

24 February 2020

Dear Alumnus of the American College of Louvain (ACAA),

I write to you as the current president of the ACAA. The board of the ACAA and I, feel that our alumni association is at a crossroads.

WE NEED YOUR INPUT!

OUR HISTORY:

As I am sure you know, the ACAA over the past 70 years has had two missions:

1. the continued support of the American College and its mission

2. sponsoring annual Alumni reunions either in various parts of the US or periodically in Louvain

Since the College closed 9 years ago , we have continued to have alumni reunions which have included a study component as well as a social component.

When the American College was renovated by the KUL and reopened as a student residence (in 2014), it was decided, by the university, that there would be a community of Americans studying Theology, Philosophy, and Canon Law housed in the renovated American college. That community was called the "Saint Damien Community".

At successive alumni reunions, the alumni voted to financially support with scholarships the student members of the Saint Damien Community just as the alumni had financially supported the American College each year.

THE PROBLEM:

attendance and interest in the annual alumni reunions has fallen off
use of the ACAA website has dropped off, www.acaalouvain.org
paid membership in the ACAA has dropped off
we have fallen far short of our financial commitment to the Saint Damien Community scholarships

WE NEED YOUR INPUT:

Are you interested in attending future alumni reunions if we have them? (i.e. beyond the planned Fresno CA reunion - June 15-19, 2020)
Do you plan to be a future "paid up" member of the ACAA? (see the dues webpage)
Do you plan to contribute financially to support scholarships for the participants in the Saint Damien Community?

PLEASE GIVE US YOUR INPUT BY COMPLETING THIS SHORT SURVEY - See the Survey Button below!!!

The board and the members of the alumni who will be at the reunion in Fresno this June will make decisions based on your input--join us. We want to hear from you!

Tuck Grinnell, AC'74

President of the ACAA board

Note: The survey was taken throughout the month of March 2020 and is now closed.