A guide for individuals with fiduciary responsibility for investments offers both general and specific recommendations for assessing and making financial decisions, including steps to take and questions to ask concerning quantitative analyses. Focus is on the role of the college or university trustees in managing endowment funds. (MSE)

A tax professional experienced in trusts advises college and university fund raisers and public relations professionals on trust management issues and their role in the trust relationship. Focus is on communication with the donor and on solving situation-specific problems. Examples are offered. (MSE)

This publication presents a collection of essays from top investment thinkers and financial commentators who share their views on the revolutionary retirement plan options now available to college and university employees. The essays were prepared for a conference that was convened by the New England Board of Higher Education in Boston to help…

Following a brief critical review of the federally sponsored student loan system, this paper develops fundamental principles for overhauling the system and creating an Educational Credit Trust. This federally chartered corporation would determine lender eligibility requirements, monitor lenders' financial performance, and sanction student loan…

The academic community has developed widespread consensus that trustees must balance two competing "goods" when managing their institution's endowment: first, support of current operations--preferably in a manner that dampens year-to-year volatility--and second, preservation of the endowment to serve future generations. That is to say, trustees…

Recently, colleges and universities have come face to face with the fact that the nonprofit world is engulfed in turmoil and dealing with a decline in public trust. Both the government and the public have soured toward nonprofits, and higher education is not exempt from this crisis of confidence. This article suggests that colleges and…

A planned giving recognition program lets donors know how much they are appreciated. The Forsyth Heritage Society at Texas A&M was formed in 1989 for donors who had their wills on file with the university. Recognition program descriptions include those at University of Miami, Amherst College, Dartmouth College, etc. (MLW)

The law relating to charitable gifts to schools is described, and fund raising considerations are addressed. The first of four chapters, "Education Fund Raising in the Legal Context," reviews the history of the law of charity over the past 400 years (i.e., law in England during 1500-1800 and law in America during 1800-1900). "The Donor and the…

Many people think of gifts to colleges and universities in pleasant terms, but sometimes things go wrong. When a donor's children sued Princeton University in 2002, development officers, college presidents, and trustees took note. Whoever is right and whoever prevails, the lawsuit illustrates that the feel-good images associated with major gifts…

This booklet offers guidelines for college and university trustees for managing the institution's endowment funds as they seek to balance efforts to grow the endowment for the institution's future with the need to use these funds to supplement current budget needs. Critical policy issues are identified, such as: the endowment's purpose, maximizing…

Financial planning strategies for families who expect to pay most of their children's college costs are offered. Information on changes mandated by the 1986 Tax Reform Act is provided. Topics include: closing the gap between higher education and family savings; assessing the financial risks and rewards of investments; gifts; understanding the…

This book is a guide to the major elements of planning and conducting capital campaigns for colleges and universities. Chapter 1 provides an overview of a capital campaign and reviews the elements needed before campaign planning begins. Chapter 2 offers some historical background of development programs, and discusses selection of a campaign…

This report presents the results of the 1995 study of the performance and management of college and university endowments, based on 394 institutions providing data. A summary abstract provides an overview of performance and investment data; and Part 1 of the study provides a brief commentary covering endowment characteristics, historical…

The first of a series, this publication consists of two symposium presentations. The first paper, "Annual Fund: Cornerstone of Development," by Robert L. Stuhr, defines the annual fund concept in the context of institutional development and provides five requisites for a successful annual fund: it must (1) be part of an ongoing…

This book is a compilation of advice on library fundraising through the presentation of real-life case studies. Contributors offer both recommendations and caveats based on their firsthand fundraising experiences in public and college libraries. Libraries of varying size and financial scale are represented in discussions of pursuing grants,…