PRESIDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE Fundraising-Grants-Alumni Relations

 The Charge  Federal grants have been great resources for improvements and programs on this campus. What can we do to ensure we are making applications for these grants? Would developing an annual plan for grants help us strategically identify grants that the institution should be applying for? And who would the team of writers be?  How do we develop a culture with our current students, faculty, staff and alumni to become “givers” and realize the importance of their contributions back to the University?

 Committee Members  Dr. Randy Clark, Dr. Lisa Coleman, Mrs. Stephanie Davison, Mrs. Susan Dodson, Dr. Teresa Golden, Mr. George Jacox-Chair, Mrs. Sharon Morrison, Mrs. Gladys Skinner, and Mr. Chris Wesberry.

GRANTS

 No systematic process in place for grant writing  No general oversight or clearinghouse for grants or grant writing.  Grants writing is done on a case-by-case basis with some departments more heavily invested than others  Successful grant applications are not effectively communicated to the campus  Most faculty are not aware of grant writing opportunities  Information about grants writing opportunities is not readily available to faculty or staff as a whole. There is no single place that faculty or staff can go and acquire information about grants availability

 Completing grant applications is a lengthy process, which sometimes involves gathering information from several entities on campus and presents problems with faculty members being able to complete grants applications efficiently.  Some senior faculty don’t value the net benefit of grant writing  Staff personnel do not receive the same percentage of compensation from grants as faculty

RECOMMENDATION Grants

 Hire a Pre-Award Grant Director  Unify and Strategically organize grant writing for the University  Assist each department in grant writing needs  Research past grants to determine if they are still viable.  Work with President, Faculty Senate and others to set grant goals for the University via grant committee.  Expand the office personnel to include Post-Award Position and Finance/Budget position.  Standalone office under the VP of University Advancement  Effective communicator

CONTRIBUTIONS BACK TO THE UNIVERSITY

 Students do not feel invested in Southeastern because most students commute to the school and spend relatively little time on campus. 500 of 3600  A significant number of students receive either most or a significant amount of financial funding to attend school. Students see Southeastern as a school where they received a great deal (i.e. scholarships, tuition waivers, etc.) but don’t in turn reciprocate donating back because they haven’t been acculturated to do so  The majority of students at Southeastern are first time graduates. So, they are relatively new to a culture that promotes giving back to a university

 The University does not provide enough significant opportunities for Alumni to return to the school and speak with students. Alumni often share stories about their experiences at Southeastern and in doing so will credit the institution for their overall success. This could be for a number of reasons: relationships with professor, participation in extra-curricular activities, co-curricular activities, living in the residence halls, etc. These stories relay an important message to students which reinforces the mission of the institution and compels students to take part in helping to sustain these same types of opportunities for future students. In essence, to “pay it forward.”

 Newly hired Development Director develop a University wide multi-year fundraising campaign that extends beyond fundraising for scholarships  The Development Director schedule yearly meetings with each department/staff association to discuss ideas concerning fundraising, giving back to the University and needs of the each department.  Director assess the effectiveness of the Southeastern Web page  Committee recommends including a forum on fundraising as a possible topic of a Shared Governance Forum and/or as a session at the beginning of the year Faculty Symposium.

 Public relations campaign with the primary goal of bolstering a feeling of connectedness to the University for students, administrators, faculty, and staff. Students who have had Southeastern/Alumni invest in their success need to feel some obligation in paying back that investment to the University  Significant number of students, faculty and staff not living on campus or in Durant, it is necessary for the University to strategically find ways to create and sustain practices that move students, administrators, faculty and staff to feel a sense of connectedness and belonging to Southeastern  Students are engaged with activities at the University the expectations of giving back to the University should be taught, not assumed.

 Involve current student leaders to engage in Fundraising/Grants/Alumni activities.  Develop new student groups to brainstorm ways to establish connections to Southeastern.  Use the Student Government Association (SGA) and/or President’s Leadership class and/or the Honors Program students to organize the senior class and elect officers. The senior class officers will then be charged with restarting the senior gift campaign.  SGA, President’s Leadership class and Alumni Board of Directors develop freshman, sophomore, and junior class officers.  SGA can lead other students to start groups that can meet during the semester to help them feel more connected and a sense of belongingness to the University. For example, a Commuter Student Group and/or a Veterans Group.

 Provide opportunities for current upperclassmen to participate in Convocations with the intention of connecting freshman to the University. Seniors can serve as mentors to freshman.  Create specific Convocations that discuss the History of the University and successful Alumni stories. It is important to focus on Alumni and their continued connection with the University.  Provide opportunities for student leaders to engage in the grants writing process. For example, Dr. Coleman will have a grant writing component of the Honors class this spring.  Encourage each department to develop plans to engage Alumni in fundraising events.

 Establish a common meeting time at the University. This common meeting time is a time during the week, one day during the week, no more than one and one half hours that no classes or department meetings should be scheduled. This will allow for the President, Vice president, Dean, etc. to schedule campus-wide meetings to communicate information to the University family (faculty, staff, administration, etc.).  Encourage the Alumni Board to have membership be fundraising centered. The Alumni Board needs to be encouraged to meet and engage with current students at University events.  Continue to encourage students support all Homecoming activities.

 Questions