To succeed in recruiting development officers, colleges and universities must use more aggressive methods to reach alumni, people with ties to the campus, and local business people; expand their selection criteria, perhaps including candidates with little or no experience; streamline the hiring process; and train new professionals. (MSE)

Provides advice on how to instill the giving habit in recent graduates and how to encourage them to take an active part in alumni issues. Development officers need to keep track of recent alumni, use telephone and electronic mail rather than letters to contact young alumni, and develop special programs to encourage giving by recent graduates. (MDM)

College public relations and institutional development offices can provide media training for faculty to master interviews. Methods include providing portable media manuals to faculty, conducting workshops, providing seminars on media communication during a crisis, having journalists coach faculty, creating a section for faculty and staff on the…

College development administrators are wise to make special efforts to keep their best contact staff, those who have significant contact with major gift prospects. However, those officers are likely to be recruited away. When they do leave, a structured transition is best for all parties. (MSE)

An in-house media training program can help college faculty feel comfortable with taped and on-camera interviews. Everyone benefits: faculty gain valuable experience; the media and public obtain quick, concise, and clear information; and the campus gets good public relations. Effective programs are carefully designed, realistic, and include…

Strategic planning for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education includes creation of an information system, establishment of local chapters, emphasis on professional development, improvement of minority-group representation, review of governance, development of a marketing plan, expansion of public support of education, and adaptation…

Developing a timetable for a college fund-raising campaign may be critical to success. Planning involves deciding what tasks to include, how to prioritize and schedule them, and how much time to allot, based on task requirements, institutional size/complexity, experience. Other factors include campus climate, board style, systems readiness, and…

The Internet and other technological tools are rapidly becoming an expected means of communication for college and university public relations offices. Making this transition requires conquering fears of new technology, building on existing staff public relations skills, reorganizing operations to accommodate new tasks, enjoying the new…

Fifteen innovative ideas for activities by student alumni associations, based on existing programs, are described briefly. They include activities for career awareness and development, fund raising, student fun, service to alumni families, alumni orientation to the current campus community, graduation festivities, and service to the community.…

At George Mason University (Virginia), a consulting firm designed a program to train university administrators to deal with the media effectively. On-camera simulations, followed up with practice sessions in the university's telecommunications department, were an effective method of preparing for difficult media questions. (MSE)

Services that colleges and universities can offer to support alumni job placement and career development are noted, and practical suggestions for creating, administering, and advertising them are outlined. Program ideas include seminars, career-development courses, career placement, counseling and resume services, electronic services to support…

College and university advancement managers offer these keys to motivating employees: open communication, acknowledgement of management style, team building, encouragement of innovation, spreading opportunities broadly, promoting personal growth, creating reward systems, evaluating fairly, and strong leadership. (MSE)

Provides advice for small alumni offices on how to sponsor an alumni travel program, focusing on booking a travel agent, deciding where to go, using faculty as tour guides or lecturers, making time for alumni office staff to go along, remembering special touches, visiting local alumni, avoiding overt fund raising, and being prepared for problems.…

Professional event planners give advice on producing pleasing alumni special events. Planning elements include creating a theme, picking the place, finding talented people to help, thinking carefully about seating options, setting the mood, having clear objectives, drafting a detailed script, and managing last-minute changes. (MSE)

College alumni directors are finding that alumni want more than parties at their reunions and are overcoming attendance slumps with creative, substantive programing. Ideas include faculty seminars on topics of current interest, sometimes integrated with professional continuing education, alumni panel discussions, involving the family, involving…