Gifts help support university
During recent years, state appropriations made up 34 percent of Utah State University’s budget while tuition made up 16. Almost all of the other funding came from private sources.
“That’s why private support is so important,” Joyce Albrecht, assistant vice president for university advancement, said. “Even though we are a public university, we have to become more and more private to survive.”
James MacMahon, vice president for university advancement, said, “One way we are judged is by the percent of alumni who give gifts to the university.”
He said the current percentage of alumni who donate is about 12.7 percent and USU would like to bring that number up to 20 or 30 percent.
When USU applies for money, there is often a place to write the percent of alumni who contribute, MacMahon said.
“Even a gift of $25 a year counts,” he said.
Albrecht said there are currently about 94,000 alumni, and the university would like to see more of them donate.
“This year, the [gift] total is down because it’s been a bad economy,” she said.
In years past, the university brought in as much as $33 million.
According to a report to the Board of Trustees, USU received more than $20 million for the fiscal year of 2001.
This summer, MacMahon will be stepping down as vice president of university advancement. Randy William Talbot, vice president of Constituent Programs at Florida State University, accepted an offer by President Kermit L. Hall to lead the university’s development and advancement efforts.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for me to work at a fine university and in a great state with wonderful people,” Talbot said in a press release. “I feel like I’m coming home. I’ve always loved the West.”
Albrecht said there are many different areas that incorporate gifts. One, for example, is prospect research. The job of this group is to identify potential donors who have the financial means to make gifts.
Another area that incorporates not only gift giving but students is the Phonathon. Students phone alumni on a yearly basis to update records and ask for a gift to the university, said Lucia Rhodes, USU Phonathon manager.
“Alumni support helps shore the programs students enjoy now,” she said.
And, the students under her try to convey that message.
Brett Handy, a sophomore majoring in economics and a Phonathon caller, said, “We use a lot of persuasion to try to get them to know how important it is, but first we build a relationship and make a case.”
Rhodes said the Phonathon is the “backbone of alumni support. We create the relationship and reestablish contact.”
The Phonathon sets a goal of receiving gifts from about 25 percent of those contacted and raising about $400,000 a year, Rhodes said.
One hundred percent of the funds donated go where the person wants.
“The amount can vary from $5 to $1,500,” she said. The highest gift received throught the phonathon was $2,000.
Right now, the callers are starting a Thankathon where they just call and thank donors and conduct an opinion survey. There are simply no strings attached, she said.
Students don’t realize their tuition is “just a drop in the bucket,” she said. “We need to be proactive and educate students of the importance of philanthropy.”
Marchet Clark, a senior majoring in English and a Phonathon caller, said, “People know why you are calling every year. We are pretty upfront.”
It helps to be able to give specific things the college needs, she said.
The Phonathon has the deans of each college come in and explain the needs of the college. It helps the callers to be educated about the subject, Handy said.
Albrecht said part of her responsibility is to make sure the money donated goes where the donor wants. She said many times they specify what kind of scholarship or what department the money should go to.
“The more you invest, the more you’re concerned the money is being used the way you want it to be used,” she said.
Yearly reports are given to donors so they can see where their money went and in the case of scholarships, students are encouraged to write thank you letters.
“Alumni and friends [who donate] care deeply and had a wonderful experience here. Their education means a lot to them and as they reflect on their experience, they’re excited to provide a scholarship [or other gift].”
When an individual gives a total of $25,000 to USU, he or she is invited into the Old Main Society. The society provides the university a way to recognize those who donate.
According to an invitation to the Old Main Society, there are different levels of giving: Cornerstone Level, University Quad Level, Tower Level, President’s Circle, Benefactor, USU Ambassador Level and The Society of 1888. Among other things, there is a dinner for Old Main Society members every year where new members are inducted and their names are prominently displayed.
On another note, Albrecht said many alumni are never contacted but the university is “rallying and trying to get out there, meet new friends and reconnect.”
One example of this rallying is the President’s Inaugural Scholarship Fund.
When students raised money for this fund along with alumni and friends, givers were very impressed and more willing to give, Albrecht said.
“What an impact that had that the students care,” she said. “We can do a lot more in that area. We need to get [students] involved even if it is a small amount.”
The president is currently getting ready to launch a campaign or an accelerated effort to bring in money to help enhance programs and scholarships of the university, Albrecht said.
Referring to the new vice president for advancement, President Hall said in a press release, “The timing could not be better as we prepare to embark on a major campaign to raise much-needed dollars for our university endowment. The experience and proven success of Vice President Talbot in generating development dollars makes him the right person at the right time.”
Albrecht said an endowment is an amount of money which is invested and the university uses the interest.
“We have a lot of preparatory work and we have to be in a position to succeed,” she said.