Asserts that for some in advancement, and many observers outside the profession, giving has become the primary measure of alumni satisfaction and the success of an alumni program. Two practitioners take issue with that assumption and offer ways to develop more comprehensive program assessment tools. (EV)

Public relations offices are playing a major role in management by providing more forecasts and analysis. A checklist is provided to help public relations offices evaluate their contribution to management. The list is designed to point out weak and strong points. (MLW)

Colleges and universities should critically review their publications periodically to save money and also as a way to present a more cohesive institutional identity. Ten recommendations are made for conducting a productive publications audit; they include choosing an evaluation method, selecting participants, making the experience pleasant, and…

It is proposed that an external audit of a college advancement program is analogous to a periodic physical examination that offers objectivity and expertise. Audits are appropriate at the time of administrative transitions, performance difficulties, and even periods of sustained success. Guidelines and expectations are discussed. (MSE)

In a question-and-answer format, the assistant vice president for development and director of alumni relations at Carnegie Mellon University (Pennsylvania) discusses how alumni directors can gauge their programs' effectiveness, how his institution addresses the issue, and how a Council for Advancement and Support of Education project to develop…

Parents can offer a college time, loyalty, and money. Leading roles currently played by parents in campus programs include recruiter, career counselor, political supporter, and fundraiser. Keeping track of parents, organizing and orienting them as volunteers, funding the programs, and assessing the efforts' effectiveness are important elements.…

A coherent, comprehensive communication plan to support college fund raising includes setting goals and objectives, determining target audiences, defining campaign themes, tying the plan to a campaign timetable and geographic priorities, determining the most effective tactics for delivering campaign messages, resolving cost questions, and…

Suggestions are offered by fund-raising professionals on the following topics: choosing the best night for phonathons; effective teasers for envelopes; type of reply envelopes used; use of precalling postcards; letter length; return rate for mail solicitations; return rate for phonathons; and avoiding common mistakes in mail requests, phonathons,…

Techniques used at Tufts University to evaluate its achievement and goals for institutional development efforts before beginning a new program are outlined, including identifying and assessing competition, finding measures of support volume and importance to the institution, and comparing one's own institution with others in actual and potential…

Eight planning essentials for a successful college reunion are outlined: starting early; selecting enthusiastic and reliable volunteer leaders; training volunteers; balancing the budget; containing costs without sacrificing quality; publicizing; anticipating the unexpected; and evaluating the experience. Anecdotal evidence is offered that planning…

College alumni associations are using a variety of approaches to improve alumni participation. Surveying alumni for needs and preferences can be fruitful. Program ideas include career planning, parent programs, community service, student relations activities, and high school recruitment. Qualitative and quantitative evaluation is crucial to…

Recommendations for planning a successful training workshop for college alumni volunteers include assuring the association is organized and the program well timed; making sure everyone agrees to budget and/or financial commitments; using seasoned volunteers to conduct a feasibility study and determine training needs; making training enjoyable; and…

In an interview, the managing editor of a major publication in higher education explains what the media want to know about such issues as college and program rankings, affirmative action, college costs, crime on campus, and how colleges can communicate their positions better, make their messages more coherent, and influence the opinions of both…

College public relations officers are urged to incorporate regular and systematic evaluation into program administration. The process of planning public relations activities would include qualitative research to identify issues; audience-specific surveys to gauge attitudes; action to accomplish objectives; and measurement of that action's…

Ten keys to strengthening advancement efforts in small colleges include clarifying institutional mission; knowing and articulating your market position; maintaining a long-term focus; staying aware of global trends; establishing total institutional commitment; allocating adequate resources; promoting leadership; building a selectively…