Describes the background and plans of Vance Peterson, new president of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Offers his perspectives on anticipated challenges, such as fragmentation within and among the three main advancement disciplines, professional certification, and diversity. (EV)

Describes the recent evolution of American University's internal newspaper, the "American Weekly," and how it strives to attain the sometimes conflicting ideals of supporting the university and providing independent press coverage. (EV)

Campus public relations professionals offer advice for improving the effectiveness of public relations efforts by (1) setting behavioral goals; (2) targeting audiences carefully; (3) focusing appeals by making messages explicit; (4) connecting the public relations message with larger societal issues; and (5) reaching internal as well as external…

Gary Quehl, the outgoing president of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), talks about his specific accomplishments and three goals: to strengthen and expand CASE services for individual professionals, to forge stronger links between advancement practices and the educational purposes of colleges, and to restore public…

Every college alumni program needs a mission statement specifying why it exists. In creating a statement, administrators should consider who designs it, drafts it, must endorse it, must adopt it. When institutional purpose and resources change, it can be redrafted. It should be an active guide, regularly reviewed and used. (MSE)

The president of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education talks about why college advancement officers need to rethink, restructure, and communicate better about their fund-raising campaigns, in light of public perceptions that the institutions are greedy and not managing resources efficiently. Emphasis is on carefully defining…

Basic principles of designing a reunion gift program include beginning small, researching class prospects, gathering volunteers, determining the financial goal, communicating needs and intentions, organizing volunteers, advertising well, and making the donation at the reunion a major event. More ambitious plans can be tied into the program later.…

Suggestions for creating a memorable inauguration of a campus chief executive officer include careful attention to public relations goals, forming an effective committee, creating a realistic budget, developing an ambitious media strategy, and following up with thank-yous and archival records. Involvement of faculty, staff, alumni, and students,…

An audit can give easy-to-understand indicators of how the various parts of an alumni association are doing. Prepare for an audit by: identifying goals and the areas that are most symbolic of the well-being of the organization, and quantify what to measure. (MLW)

Some basic college fund-raising fundamentals are identified: build a base of trustee support, build the case, assess staffing needs, develop a plan and resources, recruit a compelling leader, fix a goal, engage all trustees, secure advance gifts, and sell the public (MLW)

A $26 million Sesquicentennial Campaign at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, is described. The campaign was divided into three 18-month phases designed to push the campaign forward while inspiring confidence among trustees, alumnae, and other important leaders: setting the goal, redeploying forces, and soliciting the "Final…

Reaching students and donors through advertising is discussed in several articles including: "Proven Effective," on what makes three advertising campaigns work; "Commercial Appeal," on how advertising can help institutions meet its goals (Frank A. DeFazio); "Desperately Seeking Savvy," on finding the right advertising…

Planning must revolve around objectives related to students, faculty, money, and political support. When it is understood that all of the institution's advancement activity should help produce these four things, planning is easy. (MLW)

An informal survey of 19 media relations firms whose clients include schools, colleges, and universities revealed that institutions can contribute most to the success of the consultant-client relationship by planning, establishing goals and expectations, building a team, and identifying worthwhile stories. (MSE)

Donor recognition societies, or gift clubs, are used by colleges and universities to thank and encourage donors. For such giving mechanisms to fulfill their potential, they must be carefully planned and administered. Issues to consider include setting gift levels based on institutional goals, establishing rules for counting eligible gifts, and…