Suggests strategies for developing a new college president's image, including thorough preparation; immediate contacts with trustees, students, faculty members, alumni, and key community figures; a focus on early successes in the key areas of fund raising and student recruitment; developing an on-campus presence; and strategic time management. (DB)

This article examines four roles of the college or university development officer: salesperson (when direct solicitation is seen as the officer's primary role); catalyst (or sales manager, adviser, expert, facilitator); manager (stressing the importance of the overall office functioning); and leader (who exerts a leadership role in the…

Planning for a successful transition to a new college administration is divided into four phases: (1) preparing for the announcement of a new leader; (2) making the formal presentation; (3) getting acquainted and introducing the president to others; and (4) creating regular opportunities for ongoing communication with all constituencies. (MSE)

Discusses the need for alumni directors to have a good working relationship with their college or university chief executive officer (CEO). Alumni directors need to increase their visibility, meet with the CEO on a regular basis, show results, plan around the CEO's schedule, and mediate conflicts between alumni and the CEO. (MDM)

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)

Development officers at DePauw University (Indiana) use a structured, five-section, face-to-face interview process to assess prospective donors' ability to give and interest in giving, which then determines how the institution offers them the opportunity to support it. A step-by-step outline of the interview process is provided, as are answers to…

Provides advice to small alumni offices on how to manage alumni relations and the annual fund campaign, noting that small offices need to develop a flexible attitude, consider the benefits of performing both tasks, work with people they can count on, manage their time carefully, and balance both activities. (MDM)

A number of factors keep college alumni staff and development officers from forging cooperative relationships, and campus and graduates suffer as a result. These factors include competition for resources and professional opportunities and stereotypes of administrator roles and characteristics. Successful partnerships require shared values and…

The role of creativity in college and university advancement is examined, and institutional barriers to creativity are discussed. The need for balance between creativity and judgment is emphasized. Sources of new ideas for fund raising are drawn from a variety of models and theories of creativity. (MSE)

University public relations (PR) officers discuss how they have built strong relationships with their campus chief executive officers (CEOs). Successful PR officials need to find out what the CEO wants, be honest, build credibility, be accessible, prove their loyalty, keep the CEO informed, gain breadth and depth of understanding, present…

To market their institutions effectively, college advancement professionals need to understand that marketing encompasses several specific activities and begins with the customer's needs, not the institution's. The administrator must know the institution thoroughly before developing a marketing plan and be able to develop and adapt marketing…

A survey of 300 college and university presidents found that presidents place a high value on public relations when making institutional policy and accept the public relations demands of their jobs. Public relations activities of presidents and presidents' relations with public relations staff are discussed. (DB)

Discusses the need for the chief development officer (CDO) to have a good working relationship with the college or university chief executive officer (CEO). CDOs need to make sure that their CEOs are well prepared for meetings with alumni and donors, build the CEO's confidence, make work fun, and downplay the stress involved in fund raising. (MDM)

Three alumni travel directors offer advice on taking control when tour crises arise. The cases cited involved irresponsible tour agents, problem travelers, and on-location disasters. Both precautions and creative solutions are emphasized. (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)