Alumni donations

[Newhouser]

read on here often that SU does not have strong alumni support in terms of donors. I agree but am curious as to why? IMHO when people don't give back at some level it comes down to 4 things.

1) people don't have fond memories of their time spent in college
2) alums are not experiencing the success in their career and don't have the cash
3) the school has alienated the alum in some manner that makes them not want to give
4) the University in question has a horrible plan or execution in terms of securing said funds

Where in everyone's opinion is SU dropping the ball on cultivating donors?

 

[SUFan44]

read on here often that SU does not have strong alumni support in terms of donors. I agree but am curious as to why? IMHO when people don't give back at some level it comes down to 4 things.

1) people don't have fond memories of their time spent in college
2) alums are not experiencing the success in their career and don't have the cash
3) the school has alienated the alum in some manner that makes them not want to give
4) the University in question has a horrible plan or execution in terms of securing said funds

Where in everyone's opinion is SU dropping the ball on cultivating donors?

I think #4 is more accurate than anything else. I do not think #1 is the issue. I think #3 for a certain percentage of people could be the issue, but that's true of any school. People are fickle.

#2 is an interesting topic -- a lot of the top majors at SU don't produce high-end, money-making jobs. I think that makes it extra important for #4 to get fixed ASAP, and get targets on those that have made it.

Case in point -- my roommate at SU was a walk-on to the football team under Pasqualoni for one season. Was also recruited to the rowing team out of high school. He's now a neurosurgeon. And I would venture a guess to say nobody has reached out to him for anything (haven't talked to him about it, but that would be my guess).

 

[Forza Azzurri]

read on here often that SU does not have strong alumni support in terms of donors. I agree but am curious as to why? IMHO when people don't give back at some level it comes down to 4 things.

1) people don't have fond memories of their time spent in college
2) alums are not experiencing the success in their career and don't have the cash
3) the school has alienated the alum in some manner that makes them not want to give
4) the University in question has a horrible plan or execution in terms of securing said funds

Where in everyone's opinion is SU dropping the ball on cultivating donors?

5) Alums do donate but target their donations to the Academic, rather than the athletic, side...

Personally, I think the fact that a university like Clemson, and its donors, felt it that important to spend 60MM, give or take, on 0.4% of its student body is absurd...

 

[SkyTopBus44]

I think #4 is more accurate than anything else. I do not think #1 is the issue. I think #3 for a certain percentage of people could be the issue, but that's true of any school. People are fickle.

#2 is an interesting topic -- a lot of the top majors at SU don't produce high-end, money-making jobs. I think that makes it extra important for #4 to get fixed ASAP, and get targets on those that have made it.

Case in point -- my roommate at SU was a walk-on to the football team under Pasqualoni for one season. Was also recruited to the rowing team out of high school. He's now a neurosurgeon. And I would venture a guess to say nobody has reached out to him for anything (haven't talked to him about it, but that would be my guess).

It is a lot easier to increase current business than create new business. My guess is that the University first approaches those who have already contributed and self identified as generous supporters. Tries to get them involved. Then they work their way down to those who have potential based on careers, word of mouth, etc.

 

[bnoro]

read on here often that SU does not have strong alumni support in terms of donors. I agree but am curious as to why? IMHO when people don't give back at some level it comes down to 4 things.

1) people don't have fond memories of their time spent in college
2) alums are not experiencing the success in their career and don't have the cash
3) the school has alienated the alum in some manner that makes them not want to give
4) the University in question has a horrible plan or execution in terms of securing said funds

Where in everyone's opinion is SU dropping the ball on cultivating donors?

I owe Syracuse enough money in student loans. I'm not donating until those are paid.

 

[SkyTopBus44]

I owe Syracuse enough money in student loans. I'm not donating until those are paid.

For academic year 2015–16, approximately two-thirds of Syracuse students received nearly $260 million in Syracuse University grants and scholarships. Overall, about 75 percent received some form of financial support totaling $380 million, including assistance from institutional, federal, state, or private sources.

So 1/3 are from "wealthy" families. The majority are paying back loans like bnoro.

 

[elimunelson]

5) we haven't found a unicorn donor who is worth billions and finds athletics a worthwhile investment. T. Boone Pickens/Phil Knight are the reasons Ok St and Oregon have risen from the ashes. Two people. I've always said that Syracuse should try and educate their most wealthy alum, Al-Waleed bin Talal to make a sizeable donation to SU Athletics.

**I'm being very sarcastic here. I'd rather Marty Whitman donating money to the management school, Newhouse family donating to the communications school than someone donating an obnoxious amount of money to another athletic facility. I went to Syracuse so I have a specific regard for how the school does academically. I love that they are in the amateur athletic business as well but for the mega donors, spend on the school vs the athletics.

 

[cuse10]

read on here often that SU does not have strong alumni support in terms of donors. I agree but am curious as to why? IMHO when people don't give back at some level it comes down to 4 things.

1) people don't have fond memories of their time spent in college
2) alums are not experiencing the success in their career and don't have the cash
3) the school has alienated the alum in some manner that makes them not want to give
4) the University in question has a horrible plan or execution in terms of securing said funds

Where in everyone's opinion is SU dropping the ball on cultivating donors?

1) I had a great time at Syracuse, specifically my freshman and sophomore years. Winning the National Championship during senior year would have been icing on the cake.
2) Financially I'm doing relatively well compared to my peers, but I have student loan debt that needs to be paid off first in addition to my other responsibilities and duties. When my debt is cleared or if I win the lottery, then Syracuse University and Syracuse University Athletics will see a check.
3) There are alumni who have left the school with a bad taste in their mouths. At the undergrad level and graduate level, Syracuse University has rich and wealthy alumni that would rather donate to other schools and causes. There was a Saudi billionaire who attended the Maxwell School that wrote a check for Georgetown and Harvard; as if they need more money.
4) The only time you hear from the university to get money is through cold calling from a number of which I've blocked and an occasional e-mail blast.

 

[cuse10]

5) Alums do donate but target their donations to the Academic, rather than the athletic, side...

Personally, I think the fact that a university like Clemson, and its donors, felt it that important to spend 60MM, give or take, on 0.4% of its student body is absurd...

While it is absurd, most alumni only identify with their school after they've left through athletics. Athletics doesn't help keep alumni interested in the school post grad, but it is a key marketing tactic for attracting new students. Applications went through the roof for the following academic year after Syracuse won the NCAA Tournament in 2003.

 

[Chip]

I'm an alum who donates monthly. It's automated and hits my credit card, and I rarely think about it. It was easy to setup.

In my opinion, SU doesn't do enough to promote this option that they offer. For the donor it's good for cash flow. For the school, it's good for predictable ongoing revenue without having to go back each year and say open your checkbook please. But I'm not privy to how much they'd have to spend to promote it and what return they realistically think they can get.

 

[Trueblue25]

I owe Syracuse enough money in student loans. I'm not donating until those are paid.

Yep. That's it for the people I know that graduate from the hill.

 

[CuseLegacy]

5) Alums do donate but target their donations to the Academic, rather than the athletic, side...

Personally, I think the fact that a university like Clemson, and its donors, felt it that important to spend 60MM, give or take, on 0.4% of its student body is absurd...

Looking at the 990 that was posted yesterday SU received 59 mill in gifts and grants in 2014. As you stated people denote where they want their gift applied...like a new building for the law school.

http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/150/150532081/150532081_201506_990.pdf

 

[cuse10]

Looking at the 990 that was posted yesterday SU received 59 mill in gifts and grants in 2014. As you stated people denote where they want their gift applied...like a new building for the law school.

http://990s.foundationcenter.org/990_pdf_archive/150/150532081/150532081_201506_990.pdf

Nancy Cantor, Scott Shafer and Daryl Gross are still on the University's books. I thought Cantor left voluntarily. Why is she still receiving 800K+ in salary?

 

[cuse10]

Just saw it was from 2014. Disregard that post.

 

[shandeezy7]

I owe Syracuse enough money in student loans. I'm not donating until those are paid.

Completely understandable, but it should also be noted that your loans would be significantly higher if it weren't for donors who came before you who made it possible for SU to offer a 50% discount rate (or whatever it is these days). And yes, I get that donating to athletics wouldn't have that same impact. However, having worked in fundraising for 11 years now, it bothers me when my friends use that same excuse about why they don't donate (even $50).

 

[OttoForLife]

Or maybe people feel like there are more worthy causes to share their money with? Or maybe SU has done a shitty job of demonstrating the ROI on an "investment" in their institution.

 

[Bayside44]

Culturally this site had compared ourselves to places like Georgetown and BC. Now we're swimming with the sharks like Clemson and Tobacco Road.

I think it's a couple of things. Our grads pretty much immediately scatter after graduation to major cities 6 plus hours away where they get absorbed into bigger things. Unlike a lot of schools in NC where the Triangle, etc college sports culture dominates or places like Clemson where that's your complete identity.

The AD seemed to rely on big donors and some local big biz guys for forever and the guy who can do 10K a year somewhere in suburban east coast gets lost. There are thousands of those types of guys though and there are legitimate ways to target them.

 

[Bayside44]

Or maybe people feel like there are more worthy causes to share their money with? Or maybe SU has done a shitty job of demonstrating the ROI on an "investment" in their institution.

The ROI for a donor is actually great, considering the shallow pool.

 

[BomberOrange]

Not an SU grad, but I graduated from Ithaca College in 1993. Loved my time there. But I paid through the roof (similar to SU) and feel I owe them nothing. Maybe if I was making 250K + a year I would donate but I have a family to worry about. They make enough money with their out of control tuition.

 

[Ward]

Completely understandable, but it should also be noted that your loans would be significantly higher if it weren't for donors who came before you who made it possible for SU to offer a 50% discount rate (or whatever it is these days). And yes, I get that donating to athletics wouldn't have that same impact. However, having worked in fundraising for 11 years now, it bothers me when my friends use that same excuse about why they don't donate (even $50).

Depending on when they attended school doesn't this indirectly prove bnoro's point though? College tuition costs have sky rocketed so in most cases baby boomers and prior generations had a fraction of the cost in student loans that millennials and recent graduates are digging out of. They're "above water" earlier and thus are in a better financial position to donate.

I've heard from multiple sources I trust that SUAD's infrastructure in this area is awful. One told me that when Coyle got his first in-depth look at the group and their efforts he was in shock, and not in a good way. He felt obligated to have to go do surprise visits to check in and more or less babysit the team.

Another employee of a P5 athletic department said they toured SU athletic facilities and that they're 10 years behind where a P5 school should be. He was shocked our programs had as much success as they did. He said it was a testament to the type of student athlete in our programs that they've been able to have their level of success compared to the facilities of those they're competing against. Granted he was from a large state school in the south so his reference point could be a little off.

These are just a few people's opinions and are obviously subjective and up for debate but were disappointing to hear nonetheless. It's only fair to give Wildhack some time to execute his plans but I worry between his lack of experience in this space, SU's poor fundraising efforts and the fact our competition is filled with cash flush public universities that we have quite the uphill battle.

 

[elimunelson]

Depending on when they attended school doesn't this indirectly prove bnoro's point though? College tuition costs have sky rocketed so in most cases baby boomers and prior generations had a fraction of the cost in student loans that millennials and recent graduates are digging out of. They're "above water" earlier and thus are in a better financial position to donate.

I've heard from multiple sources I trust that SUAD's infrastructure in this area is awful. One told me that when Coyle got his first in-depth look at the group and their efforts he was in shock, and not in a good way. He felt obligated to have to go do surprise visits to check in and more or less babysit the team.

Another employee of a P5 athletic department said they toured SU athletic facilities and that they're 10 years behind where a P5 school should be. He was shocked our programs had as much success as they did. He said it was a testament to the type of student athlete in our programs that they've been able to have their level of success compared to the facilities of those they're competing against. Granted he was from a large state school in the south so his reference point could be a little off.

These are just a few people's opinions and are obviously subjective and up for debate but were disappointing to hear nonetheless. It's only fair to give Wildhack some time to execute his plans but I worry between his lack of experience in this space, SU's poor fundraising efforts and the fact our competition is filled with cash flush public universities that we have quite the uphill battle.

SUAD infrastructure with regards to fundraising or just in general? Did Darryl Gross do anything while he was at Syracuse other than hire expensive tennis coaches and pretend to take credit for the ACC invitation (that was inevitably coming no matter the AD)? I feel like he was hired to do the modernization and failed spectacularly.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

5) Alums do donate but target their donations to the Academic, rather than the athletic, side...

Personally, I think the fact that a university like Clemson, and its donors, felt it that important to spend 60MM, give or take, on 0.4% of its student body is absurd...

I fall into this category. As an alum, I've donated to the College of Engineering for much of my working life, even through the period when 2 of our kids attended and were graduated from SU.

I also attended Harvard but wouldn't give them a penny.

 

[JSOrange97]

The AD seemed to rely on big donors and some local big biz guys for forever and the guy who can do 10K a year somewhere in suburban east coast gets lost. There are thousands of those types of guys though and there are legitimate ways to target them.

This is my argument as well. I see no evidence that they are reaching out to get donors at the $5k-$10k level. If this is requested as a commitment of $1k-$2k/year over 5 years and there are potentially 10k donors that could be targeted, this is $50M-$100M...

Edit: I'll admit it is possibly the path of least resistance to get 10 people to donate $5M-$10M, but that may not be working either. Bottom line, no evidence there is any campaign going on for the Dome, so I am beginning to believe the 2021 rumors.

 

[shandeezy7]

Depending on when they attended school doesn't this indirectly prove bnoro's point though? College tuition costs have sky rocketed so in most cases baby boomers and prior generations had a fraction of the cost in student loans that millennials and recent graduates are digging out of. They're "above water" earlier and thus are in a better financial position to donate.

I've heard from multiple sources I trust that SUAD's infrastructure in this area is awful. One told me that when Coyle got his first in-depth look at the group and their efforts he was in shock, and not in a good way. He felt obligated to have to go do surprise visits to check in and more or less babysit the team.

Another employee of a P5 athletic department said they toured SU athletic facilities and that they're 10 years behind where a P5 school should be. He was shocked our programs had as much success as they did. He said it was a testament to the type of student athlete in our programs that they've been able to have their level of success compared to the facilities of those they're competing against. Granted he was from a large state school in the south so his reference point could be a little off.

These are just a few people's opinions and are obviously subjective and up for debate but were disappointing to hear nonetheless. It's only fair to give Wildhack some time to execute his plans but I worry between his lack of experience in this space, SU's poor fundraising efforts and the fact our competition is filled with cash flush public universities that we have quite the uphill battle.

I'm not discounting that part of it, and I'm also not naive enough to think that younger donors are going to individually have a major impact on fundraising at their alma mater, but collectively, they can make a dent. The participation rate for giving in my class (2006) at my small college is 7% (!). Push that number up to 30% and that's a solid bump in fundraising, regardless of how many of those are small gifts. Now extrapolate that out over all class years, and you are talking about a significant increase in fundraising dollars raised.

 

[OttoForLife]

The ROI for a donor is actually great, considering the shallow pool.

Enlighten me.