Profiles a dozen recipients of the Council of Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence Awards for Alumni Relations, Communications, and Development. (EV)

Developing a timetable for a college fund-raising campaign may be critical to success. Planning involves deciding what tasks to include, how to prioritize and schedule them, and how much time to allot, based on task requirements, institutional size/complexity, experience. Other factors include campus climate, board style, systems readiness, and…

The experiences of a university president who loves fund-raising are described. Supporting institutional missions, philanthropy as an American custom, competition, the satisfaction of seeing grants work, and the fellowship of development professionals are discussed. (MLW)

In 1983, members of Cornell University's Class of '73 raised an all-American record in reunion gifts. How they got the participation, the high giving levels, and the first-time givers are discussed. The Cornell strategy, market research, recruiting solicitors, and getting the gifts are described. (MLW)

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)

This article examines the philosophy behind alumni merchandising programs used by several colleges and universities, focusing on how alumni association directors determine which products best suit their mission and their audiences. It discusses techniques and products used by associations at Boston College and the Universities of New Hampshire,…

Uses a ballooning analogy to offer nine suggestions for universities conducting major fund-raising campaigns: study the map and choose a direction; test the prevailing winds; choose and train your crew; gear up for the journey; stay on course; make every bit count; change course as needed; and capitalize on your successful landing. (DB)

Explores the complicated relationships between donors, their financial and legal advisors, and planned giving officers. Offers advice for planned giving officers on managing the relationships among "allied professionals," particularly respecting the relationship between donors and advisors while seeking solutions that best serve the…

To recruit students and raise money, some colleges are presenting increasingly distorted pictures of themselves. Misrepresentation in fund-raising includes using money for a purpose other than the one for which it was raised. (MLW)

Alumni are both a vital source of financial support and an important barometer of the institutional climate. Research studies on alumni donor motivation are summarized. (MLW)

A computerized tracking system--management tool for annual, capital, and deferred giving programs--is described. Southern Methodist University's efforts to document interaction with major donors by listing the events they attended, letters they wrote and received, personal visits, etc., are discussed. (MLW)

The development and carrying out of a comprehensive advancement program covering development, alumni relations, public relations and publications within 60 working days is discussed. The calendar is divided into three 20-day segments. (MLW)

Provides a tabular listing of alumni-development software produced or sold by 56 companies. Each listing includes the vendor name, address, contact name, telephone number, electronic mail address, World Wide Web site, software name, price range, system requirements, standard reports, reporting tools, number of installed sites, and client type.…

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)

Most major donors don't need another plaque or formal dinner. Development officers need to be more imaginative and less materialistic in expressing their institution's thanks, personalizing them by tying the gesture in with something distinctive about the institution or the gift. Development office teamwork and care help promote donor…