The Academic Institution-Building Model (AIBM), a tool to help colleges and universities examine their advancement strategies is described. The AIBM helps identify, organize, and interpret the institutional characteristics that in turn determine constituent support. (MLW)

An institutional development audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a program, its operations, and its people. Information is analyzed to assess: institutional mission, personnel and organizational structure, financial resources, program management, communication, and overall program effectiveness and efficiency. (MLW)

Institutions are turning to marketing to combat the trends of declining enrollments, decreasing applicant pools, diminishing interest in traditional degrees, competition for students, and increasing costs. A marketing audit can analyze an institution's strengths and needs. (MLW)

Planning a college president's inaugural ceremony is discussed. A timeline, an invaluable tool for planning an inauguration, is provided.(MLW)

A public relations audit can show how efforts measure up, whether they are parents programs, media relations, or faculty/staff communication. A sample inventory form is included. (MLW)

Provides advice on buying alumni-development software, focusing on getting the necessary buy-in from staff and superiors, assessing existing policies and procedures, developing a realistic budget, writing a thorough request for proposals (RFP), assessing RFPs objectively, watching the demo with skepticism, evaluating what is shown, checking…

Explores how accreditation, bond ratings, and magazine rankings--including advancement's role in these assessments--continue to be incomplete and controversial indicators of educational quality. Asserts that advancement officers should work to demonstrate the importance of their efforts, such as increasing endowments and alumni support, within the…

Guidelines for managing fund-raising programs are presented including: recognize variability of costs, understand salaries as major cost, compare institution only with its peers, manage volunteers well, allocate enough resources for the long-range development of young alumni and planned giving, pursue endowment gifts, etc. (MLW)

Ways to prove that college public relations offices are meeting their objectives are discussed. Understanding objectives and how the office can meet them focuses activities and helps make efficient use of staff. Seven evaluation methods are identified: production; message distribution; exposure; accuracy; audience awareness; attitude change; and…

A parent orientation program at San Diego State University is described. Parents orientations are scheduled in conjunction with a freshman orientation and advising program sponsored eight times a year. A program evaluation form is included in the parents' handouts. (MLW)

Thirty-four suggestions for making college fund raising more effective are offered. The ideas focus on conserving what you have, getting and keeping extra income; finding creative donations; cutting travel and printing costs; bargaining with suppliers; using telephone, mail, and fax effectively; using creative staffing; and monitoring resource…

The University of Arizona's experience with a small-scale fund-raising project to establish a memorial scholarship illustrates that the development office's efforts in guiding a motivated group of donors can pay off. Planning elements included establishing a team, delegating tasks, handling mail and telephone calls, generating enthusiasm, and…

The efforts to develop a long-range plan for the Wisconsin Alumni Association are described. Steps to take to set up a long-range plan for alumni associations include: needs assessment, volunteer committee to advise staff, situation analysis, alumni census, mission statement, goals, implementing the plan, and evaluation. (MLW)

The Cornell University Office of Publications' experiences in the process of computerization are discussed, including rationale, choice of equipment, and decisions concerning the services to be offered, and the lessons learned are offered to others. (MSE)

A public relations model provided the basis for the five-step ROPES college fund-raising model: (1) research on the institution, the funding opportunity, and the publics targeted; (2) objective setting for both office output and program impact; (3) programming to meet those objectives; (4) evaluation of the effectiveness, not just efficiency, of…