Colleges need to pay more attention to presenting their distinctive character to prospective financial supporters. A framework comprising eight dimensions representing a wide range of human ideals is discussed. The dimensions are: moral, intellectual, egalitarian, spiritual, socio-political, humane, personal development, and tradition. (MLW)

Consultants offer ideas to frustrated fund-raising administrators about dealing with reluctant, uncooperative, and uninformed trustees. (MSE)

The effectiveness of a development officer is directly proportional to the fund-raising abilities of the president and the chairman of the board of trustees. A modest program that fits the corporate culture of the institution will be better than a program that is too ambitious for the people involved. (MLW)

A strategy for effective communication between the college public relations office and the governing board includes (1) developing a specific plan for analysis, communication, and action; (2) broadening the definition of the public relations office role to include many audiences; and (3) taking a personal role in helping trustees become more…

A trustee at both a military school and a major university finds common responsibilities and dynamics on both boards and offers suggestions to development officers in their work with both trustees and fund-raising volunteers. (MSE)

The University of Notre Dame (Indiana) fund-raising program uses first-class transportation and hospitality in major donor weekends. Features include careful research, personalized correspondence, transportation provided by trustee-owned private planes, scheduled ground transportation, accommodations, information packets, and a weekend of…

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)

The six most common excuses given by trustees reluctant to raise money are outlined, and positive counterarguments and specific techniques for understanding the excuse's underlying causes are offered. (MSE)

To improve the board's fund-raising results, development officers need to educate and support their members by explaining the institution's needs and expectations during recruitment, providing orientation and information, cultivating trustees' relationship with development staff, and arranging contact between trustees and students and faculty.…

South African divestment issue's impact on fund-raising, public relations, and alumni relations are discussed. An informal survey revealed that the campus debate over South Africa, apartheid, and divestment has not had a noticeable effect among donors, alumni, and other constituencies. (MLW)

A campus community needs a shared institutional vision--a set of common "positioning" themes for student recruitment, public relations, and fund-raising. Positioning themes are used to help match what students or donors look for in an institution, fill a niche in the marketplace, and package itself attractively. (MLW)

A communications audit, analyzed programs and publications at St. Lawrence University, audience by audience, message by message, and month by month. The ways St. Lawrence integrated themes into major projects as well as into small details is discussed. (MLW)

The chairman of the board of regents of a small, church-affiliated college discusses the need for and satisfaction derived from introducing potential donors to the college and the best of its campus life, particularly when the college is small, little known, and/or has a religious affiliation unfamiliar to prospective gift givers. (MSE)

Eight articles focus on capital campaigns including setting goals (D. Dalessandro), the lead gift (D. A. Campbell), motivating trustees (J. J. Ianolli, Jr.), alumni associations (W. B. Adams), role of public relations officers (R. L. Williams), special events( H.R. Gilbert), the campaign document (R. King), and case statements (D. R. Treadwell,…

Ideas for improving college-community relations begin with creating understanding within the college community itself and can include bringing professional people and local organizations to campus, outreach to community newcomers, student and faculty involvement in the community, news media contacts, and faculty sharing of expertise. (MSE)