Five ethical dilemmas in college and university advancement are outlined, and responses of professionals to each are cited. Dilemmas include renaming a building, originally named for a generous donor, in honor of another donor funding renovation; paying for copying of sensitive documents; use of designated donations; handling of a donation made in…

Five situations are posed in which a college advancement administrator must make an ethical judgment. They involve renaming a building named after a graduate, use of personal versus institutional funds for a sensitive information search, use of unrestricted gifts, respecting donor intentions, and candor in information dissemination. Readers are…

Issues management in college public relations involves identifying issues and trends early, debating alternative responses, deciding on the best approach, and designing and carrying out an action plan. Experience at the University of Minnesota with the issue of animal rights has shown the method can be very useful. (MSE)

Steps and strategies to help senior development officers analyze activities, delegate duties, and concentrate on the central concerns of their job are provided. A distinction is made between activity urgency and importance. The techniques of selectively ignoring certain office cues and focusing on differential advantage in selecting activities are…

Offers principles for resolving ethical dilemmas in college alumni relations, based on a theory of decision-making using four ethical dilemma paradigms (truth vs. loyalty, individual vs. community, justice vs. mercy, short-term vs. long-term). Practitioners are urged to use quiet moments to reflect on and discuss ethical issues among the staff.…

Fifty alumni association administrators offer tips on how they save money or make their programs more cost effective in a variety of administrative areas including event programing, staffing, postal services, support of chapters, looking for new sources of revenue, fees for services, publications, planning ahead, and sharing resources. (MSE)

Planning must revolve around objectives related to students, faculty, money, and political support. When it is understood that all of the institution's advancement activity should help produce these four things, planning is easy. (MLW)

Planning is the process of setting direction, priorities, and guidelines. A CASE survey of public relations professionals is described that notes the use of staff retreats and brainstorming sessions, among other techniques and strategies, that help professionals plan. (MLW)

Choosing a consultant to help with a computer system will have more impact on an office than any other decision made during the year. The major advantage of hiring computer consultants is that they bring in-depth expertise to the organization. Some basic rules for choosing a computer consultant are provided. (MLW)

Advice on how to find the best software for institutional needs is presented. Purchasing prewritten software, acquiring custom-written software, and improving ready-made software are discussed. Questions to ask before buying software are provided. (MLW)

After a college or university has received the large gift it has solicited, there are still a variety of follow-through tasks to attend to, including considering an appropriate sign of appreciation, notifying campus officials and encouraging them to send thank-you notes, creating a payment schedule, keeping the donor apprised of progress toward…

College fundraisers can alienate major donors by: not tailoring the "ask" to the individual; not preparing the donor sufficiently; not coordinating the solicitation schedule with colleagues; unsuitable meeting setting; excluding people from the meeting; not planning the solicitation meeting; being inflexible; not listening; promising what can't be…

Editorial independence is described as a "snare and a delusion." The role of the publisher, who alone can define the purposes and policies of any periodical, is discussed. (MLW)

Planning can shield a small development office from scattershot demands. Priorities should be set and an office assessment should be done. An assessment should outline the elements of a successful development program, review the current program's progress, and propose a three- to five-year plan for moving the program ahead. (MLW)

Fourteen principles for successful operation of a small collegiate alumni program are presented. They address such issues as planning, setting priorities, making decisions, routinizing procedures, using technology, creating a climate for cooperation and productivity, getting volunteers, keeping staff longer, and maintaining a balance between…