This article is the third in an occasional series on how colleges have tackled some of the basic challenges of internationalizing their campuses. Tufts University has long been an internationally focused institution. Yet in one area it has, until recently, been sorely lacking. Like many universities, Tufts made little attempt to connect with…

Integration of alumni relations and development is vital to institutions. In this article, the author talks about integration and focuses on the functions of alumni relations and fundraising, and the symbiotic relationship between them. He suggests that the best alumni relations officers understand the direct relationship of their work to resource…

University of Illinois President B. Joseph White describes it in glowing terms like "visionary" and "watershed." More cautious alumni professional peers call it "bold" or even "risky." The "it" here is the decision by the University of Illinois Alumni Association (UIAA) to end the 136-year-old dues…

Working with alumni volunteers shouldn't create horror and suspense. Following a few key steps can help maintain a smooth relationship between alumni volunteers and the alumni relations office staff. In this article, the author discusses how to manage volunteers and keep the alumni volunteer relationship on track.

Congress passed legislation last week that would shield students and other consumers from sudden spikes in interest rates and fees, but that could make it harder for young people to access credit to pay for college. The legislation would extend broad new consumer protections to all credit-card holders, offering special protections to college…

A university ranking with credibility may provide proper guidance to students and parents in university choice, lead to rational flow of educational resources, promote competition among universities and evaluation mechanism in society, and inform the government in decision making. However, there are quite some disputes and doubts from the public…

Blue State Digital, the company that helped catapult Barack Obama into the White House, is courting colleges. Some are welcoming the political rainmaker inside their wrought-iron gates. But some skeptics question whether what works in the digital war room of a political campaign can translate into the academic arena. The world of college fund…

Long gone are the days when being an alumnus with great connections and leadership skills meant that one would get the job as the senior alumni relations professional at one's alma mater. Institutions are now seeking alumni relations leaders armed with operational and leadership experience and an understanding of advancement methodology and best…

Alumni relations programs are a foundational component to institutional advancement and are often the unit that regularly communicates news and information about the institution to its alumni. Alumni relations professionals can strategically position a higher education institution among its alumni by including and emphasizing information that is…

The purpose of this study was to gain a stronger understanding of the characteristics that influence membership levels at dues-based alumni associations serving public universities. Prior studies have demonstrated that alumni association members are more likely to give to their institutions; and their gifts, on average, are larger than those of…

Since 2002, the University Evaluation Task Force of China University Alumni Association Network (CUAA), "University Weekly" and "21st Century Talent Report" have made joint efforts in the evaluation of higher education institutions in China. Compared with the ranking in 2007, China's University Ranking in the 2008 report is…

This research explores the role of "advancement-enabling" technologies in helping institutions meet the challenges of engaging constituents and attracting private support. It includes data on the use of technology, the barriers to effective use of technology, and strategies for effective deployment of technology. First conducted in 2010,…

No nation would entrust its foreign relations to ambassadors bereft of international experience. Nor would a global conglomerate ignore overseas markets and expect to prosper. Yet colleges and universities have frequently taken a remarkably unsophisticated and laissez faire approach to advancing their international interests--if they have bothered…

Increasingly, there is a growing realization in alumni relations that successful alumni programs, benefits, and services are not ends in and of themselves. Rather, alumni engagement is ultimately all about the institution. Success in alumni relations ideally advances an institution's overall forward progress. Twenty years ago, alumni strategic…

Trying to emulate the popularity of Web sites like Facebook and MySpace, hundreds of college alumni associations have begun to offer their own online social networks, seeking to stake a claim on the computer screens of current and former students, especially young alumni. Many of the sites have struggled to attract alumni and to keep them…