Tech tool could take the guessing out of college fundraising

Alumni giving fell .4 percent in 2010, according to a recent report.

College and university fundraising officials might not have to wonder how alums feel about their alma mater thanks to a computer program that can tell just how much a former student likes or dislikes the institution.

Oregon State University (OSU) on Feb. 17 launched the Building Community Initiative (BCI), a program designed to “assesses the affinity and connection” between alumni donors and their college or university.

OSU announced that it will make the tool available to other campuses.…Read More

Amid cuts, public colleges step up appeals to alumni

As state legislatures cut back support for higher education, public colleges and universities across the country are turning to their alumni, hat in hand, as never before–hiring consultants, hunting down graduates and mobilizing student phone banks to raise private money in amounts they once thought impossible, the New York Times reports. But many find themselves arriving late to the game, particularly in the Northeast, where state governments have traditionally been generous and a host of private colleges have dominated the quest for donations…

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