In last year’s reunion we set out to accomplish some basic goals to get the Arcosanti Arcology Network (AKA Arcosanti Alumni Association) or AAN, for short, off the ground and on a firm platform from which to continue functioning. Although not all the goals were accomplished we learned a great deal about how to structure our organization and were proud to find out that the core group of alumni behind this effort is still intact and eager to continue working toward accomplishing our goals

To recap, last year’s goals were:

1. To consolidate the Alumni Database
2. To establish the AAN Legal Structure and Bylaws
3. To build the AAN Web Site
4. To leave in place the AAN List server Administration
5. To open the AAN Bank Account
6. To produce the first AAN Newsletter
7. To establish and grant the AAN Academic Scholarship
8. To put together an Arcology/Arcosanti Slide Show
9. To hand out to Arcosanti a Workshopper Information Packet about the AAN
10. To identify an Arcosanti Improvement Project for the following year
11. To collect membership dues and contributions to the AAN
12. To establish an Affinity Marketing Credit Card

Of these goals, we managed to accomplish or decide the following:

1. To consolidate the Alumni Database

We managed to collect approximately 3,000 names and addresses of Arcosanti Alumni from the past 38 years. We are in the process of loading this information into our own large Oracle/IBM database to provide better tracking/sorting/searching and expansion of the data. Most of the addresses in the database, however, are street addresses and we assume many of them must have moved in the past few years. We will continue to expand the database based on electronic (email) addresses, which are more "permanent" than street addresses, to identify who of those with street addressees have electronic addresses to day and to contact the remainder through regular mail.

2. To establish the AAN Legal Structure and Bylaws

We drafted the Bylaws for a non-profit legal organization but decided not to continue with the process of establishing it for two reasons: first, we realized that the administration of such organization (IRS tax return filing, books maintenance, correspondence with all alumni, etc) implies an amount of time and work none of the alumni in the Steering Committee is presently able to commit. And second, the size of the active alumni and amount of money we currently handle does not merit such an organization. Instead, we decided to request from the Cosanti Foundation to open an account under our name taking advantage of their non-profit status from where we can administer these monies and where we can directly deposit any donations to the AAN. We realized that, after all, most of our efforts would benefit the Cosanti Foundation and Arcosanti directly so we might as well use their legal status to avoid duplication of financial/administrative functions. The details about how to draw/deposit funds from/to this account are dependent upon confirmation from the Foundation to open the account.

3. To build the AAN Web Site

• central repository of our ongoing email discussions
• central calendar of events for all members of the list
• direct links to related web sites
• chat room for live discussions

1. To leave in place the AAN List Server Administration

This goal was accomplished. Lou Dallara currently manages the list server.

2. To open the AAN Bank Account

See above item #1.

3. To produce the first AAN Newsletter

The first newsletter was done (in the form of a "1998 Arcosanti Alumni Reunion Report") and was e-mailed to all alumni connected through Internet. The mailing through the US Post Office was postponed, however, due to complications related to the database and to lack of funds to do the necessary bulk mailing.

4. To establish and grant the AAN Academic Scholarship

The text for the Call for Papers/Projects to grant a cash award to a student or a studio to do research on Arcological architectural and urbanistic development was http://civiltrial.com/internet/paml/groups.A/arco-alum.html and we are only waiting to collect enough funds ($500 is our ideal) to distribute the Call to universities in the US and abroad (the list off American universities is already on file).

5. To put together an Arcology/Arcosanti Slide Show

The Cosanti Foundation went ahead of us and put together a slide-show package that can be borrowed or purchased from Tomiaki Tamura (hurrah! for the Foundation!).

6. To hand out to Arcosanti a Workshopper Information Packet about the AAN

We decided to postponed this item until we reached a decision about the legal status of the organization and, most importantly, until we decided whether or not to have or not a dues-based membership in the AAN. As stated before, we agreed NOT to continue with the process of incorporation as a non-profit organization. Membership in the AAN will be automatic by virtue of being an Arcosanti/Cosanti alum and it will be so stated in the "Welcome Letter" to outgoing workshoppers (see more about this item in "Goals for the 1999-2000 AAN").

7. To identify an Arcosanti Improvement Project for the following year

We decided to drop this goal considering that this year’s event was going to be full of other (less strenuous) activities in honor of Paolo’s B-Day celebrations. Also, the length of time that our participating alumni was able to devote this year in Arcosanti was rather limited (most of us stayed only over the weekend).

8. To collect membership dues and contributions to the AAN

In the past year, we collected $650,00 in ‘membership dues’ and contributions from individual alumni.

9. Affinity Marketing Credit Card

Several other long-term goals were also established a year ago that would continue to be in our target:

1. Arcosanti Annual CAD Workshop
2. Sponsor construction of one East Crescent Unit
3. Attendance by an AAN representative to the United Nations’ NGO cities meetings in NYC
4. Design and distribute an Arcology Children's Book
5. Arcology Computer Software
6. Arcology Development Corporation
7. American Disabilities Act Site Survey
8. Collect personal stories for publication
9. Arcology Reference Book
10. Developing Nations Outreach
11. Small Business Incubator - Arcodollars
12. Network Allies
13. 10th edition of "The City in the Image of Man"

Of these goals two were accomplished already:

1. Alum Lou Dallara donated a CAD system to the Arcosanti Drafting Room as well as an HP Plotter. Alum Steve Budner obtained a donation of AutoCAD for the site. Lou conducted four training sessions at Arcosanti last Fall/1998.
2. "The City in the Image of Man" was republished by independent publisher Michel Sarda of Bridgewood Press.

This year we decide to set a more modest yet more acheivable set of goals to accomplish for next year’s reunion. We realized that the immediate concern is to reestablish contact with the alumni at large before we continue with more ambitious plans and projects. We also realized that the cheapest, most immediate results will occur by using email and our website (as opposed to regular mail). From that base, we will work on snail mail and phone contacts. We are now getting regular email updates from alumni who are reporting new contact information, deceased alumni, etc.

With the above in mind, we will focus our efforts on developing the AAN network infrastructure with the following activities:

1. Electronic Mail Newsletter

1. 1999 Alumni Reunion Summary
2. Plan of activities for the Y2K Reunion
3. Invitation to join us in the Sept/99 Paradox Meeting

1. "Welcome Letter" to outgoing Arcosanti Construction/Paradox Workshops

1. Brief summary about the AAN
2. How to join the e-mail list and discussion groups
3. How to access the Web Site
4. Encourage them to send a donation to support the alumni group
5. Ask them if they wish to be removed from the list

1. Upgrade Web Site

We will pursue domain name registration (www.arconet.org, www.aan.edu etc). It was agreed that we need to connect our domain name to Internet search engines to give the AAN worldwide visibility.

2. Newsletter

We are putting together a newsletter to be available (initially) through website and email. We feel that it is important to contact and inform the network as quickly as possible. As time and funding permit, we will pursue print/mail newsletters.

3. Voice Contact

6. New Board of Directors

In closing, we would like to restate our MISSION STATEMENT as a reminder of the purpose of the Arcosanti Arcology Network.

Last year we agreed that the mission of the Arcosanti Arcology Network was related to three main goals: 1) the advancement of the construction of Arcosanti; 2) to encourage scholarly research on the concept of Arcology; and 3) the development of future arcologies in the United States or elsewhere. Thus, our mission statement, although still under development, would state:

"The Arcosanti Alumni Network is committed to continue the construction of Arcosanti, the development of future arcologies, and to the establishment of Paolo Soleri's Arcology as a legitimate new urban science through research and scholarship."

END OF REPORT