Hey Everyone,

This just came up and I wanted to get your take on it.

I've been building our class website (1977) for a couple of months now and we officially launched the site on June 9th. So far we have 102 members signed up. This morning, someone from the class of 1978 found our site and has requested to join because she knows many people in our class and would like to get in contact with them. Has this happened to you? What is your policy on this?

Thanks for listening.

Best,

That's a really good start. Pat yourself on the back

Yes that has come up (and a very similar question as to who can come to the reunion). The answer is somewhat interesting. I personally always welcomed anyone related to the class to join us since that's how one gets the word out. (That's from long exposure to web "marketing" and being in business.)

The initial reaction to that sort of question from our committee changed over time. At first, it was negative. Then as they got more comfortable with how the site worked (fears of privacy were the #1 issue) more and more relaxed the "rules".

So it all depends on the makeup of your group and comfort level. You may want to revisit this after running the site for a while. Getting our committee to actually visit the site was-is a challenge. Once they see how it works, decisions change

Jack is correct. It is a compliment. You will find that those that "want" to be a part of your site are often the most wonderful additions to the "party"!
Unless they are a "certified stalker" type, those that request to be a part of our site make it all the more special! By the way, we have not had any trouble with "certified stalkers" either! We just added them (the requestees, not the stalkers) as "guests" and put their year in parentheses. Our high school has at least 12 sites and many of us are "guests" on the other sites so that we may share in the "fun", learn,etc! It is a very interesting aspect of this journey!
Be flattered and keep an open mind and an open heart!
We have found that not only is it a "small town" where we all went to school, but it is a "small world" in the age of technological wonders! but once again, that's just an opinion.
Perhaps it may open up another door for you also,if/when they start up their own class site, and your benefit from the "referral"! You could even suggest "splitting" the bonus! A win/win for everyone!

p.s. I ask them for one reference if they do not offer a name or I cannot find them in a yearbook. Those that do not respond back are not taken seriously, as I question their motivation. Many of us who had siblings know many different classes and from my perspective, it keeps our site more interesting. It also helps some "think outside their box" that they only want "our class" involved. So far, no implosions that I know of, and our Teachers are the most welcome. I've added a few "guests" after they are deceased just so that we could comment on their life and the person's influence in our lives.

I have had many from the classes ahead of us and behind us want to join. Both classes have their own CC sites now and I am members of both of them too. I think the fundamental answer here is "do you know these people and what is their motive?" I have never had any problems at all. As we get older, these things do not matter as much. When we were younger, we wanted to be separate. Now, it just is not important. You have a pulse? Come to our reunion,join our site, no problem.

That said, I am monitoring every comment on every member. As we know, the only thing I cannot see are the private messages, and I have had no complaints from anyone.

This whole process has been a wonderful success and connecting has been a delight!

Denise

I agree with the previous observations and, like Kris, have entered folks from other classes as Guests along with some who attended for a while, but later moved to another school prior to graduation. Most have turned out to be related to our classmates so no big deal. We have also included our teachers under the Guest heading, but the number who are still living and have internet access after 49 years is really, really small.

I like Jack's answer. It all depends on people's comfort level.

We have a Reunion Planning Committee and they asked me to set this site up. However, I wanted them to have "ownership" of the site and set policy. I told them that I considered myself "reporting" to them.

When I started unilaterally adding guests some got nervous (privacy, "what do they want on the site?", etc.). So, we came up with a policy which is on our Guest Information page (not password protected). Basically prospective guests had to have some sort of contact to our school (I'd previously allowed a non-related CC administrator access as he wanted to see how I'd set things up) and they had to have a "sponsor" from the Reunion Planning Committee. I asked that I not be allowed to be a sponsor (unless I originated the request) as I was too "visible" and everyone would be coming to me.

The policy has been in effect for over 7 months now and seems to be working out fine.

We have 6 or 7 class sites from my high school now. A lot of us all are members of the other sites.. I have the other class website links on my home page. People in the grades just ahead and behind us had many friends in our class. So they really appreciate being able to contact those classmates again. Probably a 1/3 of the people on my class site are members of other classes..
As far as our reunion, which was the 50th last year, we invited anybody who had moved away or had quit school for some reason, got married, joined the service, etc. They were delighted to be invited and many came. I saw people there I haven't seen in over 55+ years... It was great...

Our site is an all school site and we've had a number to ask if they can join. We put them on and list them as Guests. It has worked out great for us. I consider it a compliment that they want to be a part!

Keep up the great work.

I have many (over 40) classmates from other classes from my high school. We had so many people interested that I felt it was missing an opportunity to get the word out. Our class reunion last September included the class before ours and the class after and I have 10 people from each. This was all because I allowed them on the site as guests. I just make sure that when their name is listed the year is also listed. I have tried to get other classes interested in getting on the site. Money is the draw back. So I have just allowed them to use our site and connect to friends in all classes.
Connie Thornall Hope

Our site has been opened since 2008 and I have also received many requests from classmates in other years usually within 3 years of our class. What I do seems to work well, I verify that indeed the individual went to our high school and I allow them into our site for a one month time frame. In the system, I add them as a guest and at the end of the month I delete them.

I hope this helps
Julie Ferriera Passanisi

We just started our website in May of this year. So far there have been no issues with entering folks from other classes as guest members. I verify them if I have any doubts about their identity.

Good work and a good start Michael!

our 1965 Roswell, NM site has guests from many earlier and newer classed. We do require that they are known by other class members or otherwise verified (yearbook etc.) Also you might welcome teachers, administrators and employees from your school. They also can be a great resource.

These guests have also been a great resource for finding our "LOST" classmates.

Congrates on your many hours spent on your website! I agree with so many others, it has to do with every one's feeling on the committee. When I started getting request from classmates from other years I let them join as guest member; this way it keeps our classmates seperated. So far all has worked out very well, everyone has been able to stay in contact with their friends from the past. We have even started having lunch get togethers including several years of classmates....so much fun to see all that attend and the great times had by all. Good luck on what ever you decide to do!!

I created an 'announcement' that is not published for the class, but simply lists many 'guidelines' that I use for the diffrtent pages so, if I turn the Root Admin. duties over to another, they will have some idea as to why I do, what I do.
In there, among other things, I have a statement about who will be allowed as guests.
Has anyone else done this?
I would like them to share with me if possible, as I am always looking for ideas for improvement, tweeking, etc.!