To succeed in recruiting development officers, colleges and universities must use more aggressive methods to reach alumni, people with ties to the campus, and local business people; expand their selection criteria, perhaps including candidates with little or no experience; streamline the hiring process; and train new professionals. (MSE)

Provides advice on how to instill the giving habit in recent graduates and how to encourage them to take an active part in alumni issues. Development officers need to keep track of recent alumni, use telephone and electronic mail rather than letters to contact young alumni, and develop special programs to encourage giving by recent graduates. (MDM)

College public relations and institutional development offices can provide media training for faculty to master interviews. Methods include providing portable media manuals to faculty, conducting workshops, providing seminars on media communication during a crisis, having journalists coach faculty, creating a section for faculty and staff on the…

College development administrators are wise to make special efforts to keep their best contact staff, those who have significant contact with major gift prospects. However, those officers are likely to be recruited away. When they do leave, a structured transition is best for all parties. (MSE)

An in-house media training program can help college faculty feel comfortable with taped and on-camera interviews. Everyone benefits: faculty gain valuable experience; the media and public obtain quick, concise, and clear information; and the campus gets good public relations. Effective programs are carefully designed, realistic, and include…

A survey of campus publications directors and designers in a variety of institutions concerning the transition to computerized publication design revealed some common problems regarding staff relations, training needs and considerations, retention of some traditional methods, and cost effectiveness. Suggestions for minimizing them are made. (MSE)

Strategic planning for the Council for Advancement and Support of Education includes creation of an information system, establishment of local chapters, emphasis on professional development, improvement of minority-group representation, review of governance, development of a marketing plan, expansion of public support of education, and adaptation…

The Internet and other technological tools are rapidly becoming an expected means of communication for college and university public relations offices. Making this transition requires conquering fears of new technology, building on existing staff public relations skills, reorganizing operations to accommodate new tasks, enjoying the new…

Fifteen innovative ideas for activities by student alumni associations, based on existing programs, are described briefly. They include activities for career awareness and development, fund raising, student fun, service to alumni families, alumni orientation to the current campus community, graduation festivities, and service to the community.…

At George Mason University (Virginia), a consulting firm designed a program to train university administrators to deal with the media effectively. On-camera simulations, followed up with practice sessions in the university's telecommunications department, were an effective method of preparing for difficult media questions. (MSE)

Twelve things that colleges and universities can do to prepare themselves and the country for competitiveness in the global economy are outlined. They include business-school partnerships, program coordination and development, improved exchange efforts, and inclusion of global economics in the regular and continuing education curricula. (MSE)

Services that colleges and universities can offer to support alumni job placement and career development are noted, and practical suggestions for creating, administering, and advertising them are outlined. Program ideas include seminars, career-development courses, career placement, counseling and resume services, electronic services to support…

Successful campus public relations requires: (1) segmenting the mass audience into categories according to demographics, interest, lifestyles, and other factors; (2) analyzing how members of each segment respond to various messages and media; and (3) designing a campaign tailored to specific segments of the general audience. (MSE)

College and university advancement managers offer these keys to motivating employees: open communication, acknowledgement of management style, team building, encouragement of innovation, spreading opportunities broadly, promoting personal growth, creating reward systems, evaluating fairly, and strong leadership. (MSE)

Presents marketing guru Guy Kawasaki's seven rules for revolutionaries, and examples of alumni relations innovators who are implementing change with cutting-edge programs, services, and business practices. Rules include: "jump curves" (look for new paths); "break down barriers" (challenge roadblocks of ignorance and inertia);…