NOVEMBER 9, 2012
The business of advancing the college: one step at a time
BY VICTOR LOPEZ
Senior Writer
Across the street from the main campus lays a Zen-like
oasis where Chinese room dividers serve to separate one
workspace from another and light classical music plays from
some secret location, setting a very relaxed scene for the look
and feel of the Office of Advancement!
The building houses a team of professionals that reaches
out all over the world for donors willing to give money to
the school, a team that is fundraising for the college's capital
campaign around the clock.
"It takes a lot of time to cultivate a donor," said 30-year
veteran of philanthropy Mike Poston, vice president for
advancement. "In some cases it takes three years to get some
of our larger contributors to commit and give to the college."
The effects of the country's economic crisis has crashed
down on higher education by way of shrinking endowments,
less financial aid, and staffing cuts at colleges and universities
nationwide.
There is no denying Guilford's need for donors.
"Our college, like others, depends heavily on donors
and tuition to keep the college rurming," said Ty Buckner,
associate vice president for communications and marketing.
Guilford began a $75 million capital campaign in 2006
following a study driven by the first Strategic Long-Range
Plan put in place by the college. It had completed a $56
million campaign in 2002.
Poston said that the campaign addressed the immediate
needs of the college but was not driven by a strategic long-
range plan.
"That campaign's focus was more bricks and mortar and
some endowment growth."
However, at the time of the 2006 philanthropic market
study, which guided the goals of the current campaign, no
one could have predicted the 2008 economic crash. In 2011,
the Board of Trustees agreed that the campaign should have
a more realistic timetable.
"We were working on unrealistic expectations considering
the economic climate of the country, which is why the board
separated the campaigns into two realistic goals," said
"As long as there is a need for the college
to educate there will always be a need to
raise money.
II
ike Poston, vice president for advancement
Danny Gatling, senior director of philanthropy.
Phase one of the capital campaign calls for $60 million to
be raised by June 30, 2014. Once that is accomplished, the
college will then focus on raising the remaining $15 million.
"So far we have raised $50.7 million," said Poston. "It is
not just big gifts that help the college.
While some colleges and universities, such as the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke
University, are embarking on multi-billion-dollar capital
campaigns, Guilford remains modest and realistic where
Paper billing replaced by electronic statements
HISTORIC CHANGES TAKING PLACE
AS GUILFORD'S BILLING PROCESS
SWITCHES TO ONLINE PAYMENTS
BY VICTOR LOPEZ
Senior Writer
Though historic buildings line Guilford's campus,
and the comforting smell of burning wood coming from
the Hut can be nostalgic, other items are changing to
align the college with the twenty-first century.
Greg Bursavich, vice president for finance, told
The Guilfordian the college is unveiling a new billing
process in the next few months
"We are eliminating paper bills," said Bursavich.
"Everything will be accurate, online and in real-time
under the new system we are putting in place."
Students will now be billed using a secure portal that
will provide electronic statements.
"From that portal, students will be able to process
immediate electronic payments for all enrollment
related charges," said Bursavich.
Along with online payments, there will be enhanced
refund options available to students, \which will help
avoid lengthy waits at New Garden H^l for those who
receive refunds.
Bursavich told The Guilfordian that details about
those options are forthcoming, but he indicated that
students will be receiving debit cards in the mail from
Higher One and further instructions from the college on
how to use their services in the next few weeks.
In addition to going completely virtual with its billing,
the College also plans on joining other schools such as
Elon University in adding a 2.75 percent convenience
fee to all payment of tuition, fees, room and board, and
other charges associated with enrollment made with
MasterCard, Discover or American Express.
The College will no longer accept Visa cards.
Jay Harper, bursar at Elon, told The Guilfordian
that when the university implemented the credit card
processing fees he expected some backlash.
"What we found was that students and families
realized that the university was taking a huge hit from
credit card companies," said Harper, who noted that
many Elon students pay huge chunks of their tuition
using credit cards.
In order for the College to accept credit cards, it must
pay a fee to companies to process the payments.
Guilford will save $150,000 in fees annually which
could be passed down to faculty salaries and operating
expenses.
"We believe these funds are better spent supporting
our educational mission," said Bursavich. "Thus,
in order to continue accepting credit and debit
card payments, the 2.75 percent convenience fee is
necessary."
Those like Terry Tarantelli-Louison, a parent sending
three children to college including a daughter who
graduated from Guilford, said that the College passing
along fees to the student is a part of a much bigger issue.
"Charging students fees, which essentially passes
along to their parents, is not a real issue," said Louison.
"The real issue is the absurd amount of money it takes
to get a liberal arts education."
While Elon University and Earlham College have
a convenience fee already in place, both have stayed
away from partnering with Higher One.
"We consider our students like family members
here," said Harper. "We rather keep our student's
information in-house so that there would not be a
chance of a compromise which in turn could put our
student's information at risk. It was not something we
were willing to do."
Guilford administrators say that the decision to
enhance the billing payments and refund processes was
made with students in mind.
"We believe these changes will have a very positive
impact on our students and their families," said
Bursavich.
fundraising is concerned.
And at the end of the day, Poston says it is all about
students getting a quality education in the face of a frail
economy and rising educational costs, which is what is on
donors' minds when they give to an institution.
"In many respects, capital campaigns never stop taking
place," said Poston. "As long as there is a need for the college
to educate there will always be a need to raise money."
The other half of the equation, explained Erin Mezgar,
annual giving associate, is student involvement and pride in
their school.
"There are many ways students can help," said Mezgar.
"Being phon-a-thon callers, contributing to the senior gift
campaign, interning in the office, writing thank you notes.
These are seemingly small things, but this helps raising
awareness of our current campaign and beyond."
Justin Bradley, a senior who is interning in the Office
of Advancement, said he didn't know much about the
department or alumni donations when he started at Guilford,
though that is quickly changing.
"There is some separation being that the physical office
is across (the street) from the college," said Bradley. "Now
being a senior, I am starting to see the importance of giving
back to Guilford. I guess that comes with maturing."
Students interested m helping the
Office for Advancement should
contact Erm Mezgar at
raezgarek@guilford.edu
Senate Upda
This Week's .
Developments*
We approved the budget as presented in last week's
Guilfordian.
Students expressed the desire to improve the relationship
between students and public safety in the interest of improving
campus safety.This conversation will continue at a CRRC forum
next Wednesday at 3 p.m. in Founders Gallery.
Next Week's ♦
Plans *
We will be joined by smff from IT&S to discuss student
needs concerning technology on campus.We hope to have a
productive discussion that strengthens the relationship between
IT&S and the student body.
We need to hear your voice!
Should Senate meet in the Gallery or Boren Lounge?
Join us in Founders with your ideas and beautiful faces next
week at 7:00 p.m.!