Some barriers to fund-raising productivity are identified. A checklist of characteristics of an ideal development program drawn up by a panel of nationally recognized experts was included in a questionnaire sent to participating campuses. (MLW)

Advice is offered to alumni administrators who recruit and organize alumni volunteers to serve on the board of directors. Major tasks include: understanding the purposes of the board, selecting the best members, determining what needs to be done, evaluating each member, and forming committees. (JMD)

Some things to consider before planning separate alumni activities or associations for young alumni include common assumptions about young adults' interests, spending patterns, willingness to do fund-raising, and interest in meeting older graduates. (MSE)

Faculty can be helpful by providing commentaries to newspaper op-ed pages, but such a public relations program requires consistency, tact, good internal communications, thoughtfulness, and marketing skills. (MSE)

User dissatisfaction with computer systems usually results from too little involvement of the user in the programing process. Defining information requirements satisfactorily and taking steps toward smooth staff acceptance of the system are important prerequisites to satisfaction with the system's design. (MSE)

A nine-point plan is given for opinion research for college marketing: obtain administration commitment; determine specific research needs; define college goals measurably; establish a recruitment committee; identify vital publics; focus research on them; develop questionnaires; determine research mechanism; and assign responsibility and…

To implement a computer software system successfully, a college development officer must learn all about it, control its development rather than let computer center staff take control, define the system needs and elements, study software contracts carefully before signing, reorganize the office to accommodate computing needs, and make necessary…

Basic literature sources about the field of institutional advancement are listed. The list is divided into seven categories: higher education in general, institutional relations, fund raising, alumni administration, government relations, publications, and executive management. (MLW)