The experiences of three institutions (Oberlin College, Ohio; University of Nebraska; and St. Christopher's School, Virginia) illustrate how effective a carefully developed marketing scheme for planned giving can be. Staffing, budgets, average funds raised, and average deferred gifts are reported for each. (MSE)

Large, flashy college fund drives may be falling out of favor with alumni and friends of the institution. Advancement professionals recount their experiences and suggest ways to adapt campaigns to new needs and environments. Inherent problems with large campaigns are enumerated, and the importance of clear communication to audiences on and off…

The personal career story of the vice president for advancement at Trinity College (Connecticut), an African-American woman, is told. She comments on the crucial factors in her success, the role of travel and training in her job, racism in advancement administration, and the future for minorities in the field. (MSE)

A panel of five leaders in college advancement discusses what advancement services are, their mission, integration of fundraising and information services, the role of the advancement services manager in senior administration, advancement services as a profession, professional information exchange, and future directions for advancement services.…

College and university advancement professionals comment on when their colleagues should invest in advanced education and when it is unnecessary. The practical benefits of advanced training and the clout that credentials offer are examined, and how to determine how much and what kind of training to seek is discussed. (MSE)

Strategies used by five schools, colleges, and university libraries to thank major donors personally and sincerely are described, including a photo album of the gift's results, active donor participation in planning the facility donated, presenting a crystal etching of the building funded, posting of recognition on the World Wide Web, and a…

A new Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) advisory, designed for colleges and universities to use in accounting for gifts and pledges according to new Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) regulations, is summarized. The publication is entitled "The Impact of FASB Standards 116 & 117 on Development Operations: An…

Four major trends in corporate funding that may be seen as problems for higher education are outlined. Trends include corporate downsizing, decreased corporate giving, fewer one-time gifts, and increased emphasis on elementary secondary education. Specific examples are given of institutions turning these potentially negative trends into…

Six college and university alumni and development professionals comment on problems and potential of computer software for program administration. They look at current problems with software, discuss capabilities they would like to have, and make predictions for the future of software abilities, hardware uses, sales, and other issues. (MSE)

Five college student foundation programs are described briefly: fund raising at the Georgia Institute of Technology; fund raising and leadership development at the University of Houston (Texas) and the University of South Florida; the Franklin College (Indiana) fund-raising challenge; and the College of William and Mary (Virginia) scholarship…

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…

In college and university advancement, prospect research has become streamlined with the Internet. Searchers can enter corporate, foundation, and other sites for up-to-date information on a variety of topics. Several campus development officers have established their own home pages to share information with colleagues. Online addresses for campus,…

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…

Presents and answers a series of questions about how the college or university development office can prepare for economic uncertainty or downturn, including insulating the major gift operations from economic decline, communicating with the administration, budget cutting, communicating with donors, helping donors cope with financial losses, and…

College and university fund-raisers offer suggestions for successful direct-mail campaigns, telephone campaigns, and fund-raising auctions. Ideas include specific persuasive techniques for different types of donors, motivational and support mechanisms for volunteers, and appealing activities and rewards for campaign participation. (MSE)