Offers a descriptive table of databases that help higher education institutions orchestrate advancement operations. Information includes vendor, contact, software, price, database engine/server platform, recommended reporting tools, record capacity, and client type. (EV)

The ways in which alumni associations trace missing alumni are described. Methods vary from listing lost names in alumni periodicals to paying credit bureaus to trace alumni by Social Security number. The U.S. Postal Service, which runs National Change of Address, sells access to its database of forwarding addresses. (MLW)

Lafayette College used the Nexis database to find out if their peer institutions were receiving more and "better" national press exposure. Four categories of exposure were identified: coincidental mentions, sports stories, stories placed by an institution's own public relations efforts, and stories based on general prestige and perceived…

Business researchers and marketers find certain databases useful for finding information on investments, competitors, products, and markets. Colleges can use these same databases to get background on corporate prospects. The largest data source available, DIALOG Information Services and some other databases are described. (MLW)

Dalhousie University (Nova Scotia) has moved from fund-raising phonathons which relied on prospect cards to complete computerization. Procedures describe how the system records pledges and biographical information and generates statistical reports. Increased efficiencies and cost savings have been realized. (DB)

Electronic service companies are marketing electronic career services to college and university alumni associations. These electronic alternatives to traditional placement services offer schools a way to provide alumni with a desired service while increasing alumni association revenue. Typically, both applicants and companies pay a fee for a…