From 2001-02 to 2010-11, the University of California saw an overall increase in private support as it ramped up efforts to garner donations due to state budget cuts — a trend that may be slowing this year.
Over the course of fiscal year 2010-11, the UC received almost $1.6 billion in private support — an increase of over $250 million compared to the previous year, according to the UC’s Annual Report on University and Private Support. But a March 9 summary of UC Office of the President external relations activities from December 2011 to February 2012 from UC President Mark Yudof denotes a change.
“For the 2011-12 fiscal year on a systemwide basis, a total of $775 million in overall private support was received through the second quarter, almost exactly where the University stood last year at this same time,” the document states.
According to UC spokesperson Dianne Klein, a full report on private support to the UC for the 2011-12 year is not yet available.
Still, a recent survey found that overall private donations to universities have been on the rise in 2011.
In addition to gains in private support from 2001-02 to 2010-11 cited by the annual report, a February Voluntary Support of Education survey conducted by the Council for Aid to Education found that charitable contributions to colleges and universities across the country increased 8.2 percent in 2011, reaching a total of $30.3 billion in donations.
The council ranked UC Berkeley eighteenth in the nation in its ability to obtain private donations, behind UCLA, San Francisco and a variety of private universities. UC Berkeley is ranked first in growth of private donations made to a university from 2005 to 2010, with an increase of 54.6 percent. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology ranked second, with a 49.1 percent increase.
According to UC spokesperson Brooke Converse, the renowned medical programs at UCLA and UC San Francisco may contribute to their success in obtaining donations in addition to already strong alumni bases.
UC Berkeley began its push for increased private aid in 2005 with the inception of its fundraising project, the Campaign for Berkeley. The campaign’s goal is to reach $3 billion in donations by June 30, 2013, and as of Jan. 31, the campaign had received over $2.3 billion in donations with less than two years to go.
So far, 33 percent of the campaign’s funds have been directed to the campus endowment.
In addition to the Campaign for Berkeley, the campus launched the New Alumni Challenge in 2009. The campus is encouraging this year’s graduates to donate with the promise that their contribution will be matched through a 2 to 1 ratio, as opposed to a 1 to 1 ratio from 2009 to 2011.
Correction(s):
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that the UC had received $175 million in private support through the second quarter of the 2011-12 fiscal year. In fact, it was $775 million.
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Executive salaries continue to escalate while services are cut amidst tuition hikes. Don’t forget the multi-hundred million dollar unfunded albatross that is the stadium renovation.
Why would any alum donate to an arrogant, profligate institution?
David Blinder, who directs fund raising efforts for the campus, was given a $40,000 raise last year. If I donated $1,000 per year for the next 40 years… well you can see where this is going.
NOW where are we going to get our money from?