Ambitious campaign pays off for faculty, staff and students

Ambitious
campaign pays off for faculty, staff and students
…………………………………………………………………

As Rice heads
into a new year of its ambitious $500 million “Rice:
The Next Century Campaign,” Kimberly Paisley, director
of development communications, sat down with three of the
influential leaders of the effort: campaign co-chairmen
J.D. Bucky Allshouse ’71 and D. Kent Anderson ’62,
both members of the board of trustees, and Eric Johnson,
vice president of resource development. In this touch-base
interview, they shared their thoughts about the exceptional
opportunities the campaign already has created and the challenges
going forward.

Paisley: Rice
has just completed more than four years of the aggressive
“Rice: The Next Century Campaign.” In sum, how
is the campaign progressing?

Allshouse:
We’re very pleased by the support of so many people
on and off campus. Alums and friends have been committed
to this campaign from a financial standpoint and a support
standpoint as well.
Johnson: I certainly agree. When the campaign was
launched, Dr. [Malcolm] Gillis challenged us to ensure a
future for Rice that is every bit as daring as the future
envisioned by Edgar Odell Lovett, our first president. As
our principal fund-raiser, Dr. Gillis continues to champion
the cause with that conviction. And as a result, we’re
doing very well. As of the end of December, we have raised
$370 million of our $500 million goal. We have another $130
million to go — and that will be the hardest —
but we have good prospects and generous and loyal alumni,
so we should be able to finish it. This is a very ambitious
campaign, particularly compared to other universities our
size. Even though the economy has slowed, we’re still
pleased with our progress.

Paisley: Remind
us why this campaign is so important and what you expect
it to accomplish.

Anderson:
Clearly, the campaign addresses unmet needs of the university.
We need resources to further develop existing programs and
add new ones. But also, this campaign is a major step for
us. This is the first time we have told our story in such
a coordinated manner.
Allshouse: Exactly. And that’s a very important
point. When you look back at the history of Rice, you realize
that really there has never been a campaign like this. The
campaign evolved from a strategic plan with one purpose
in mind, and that was to enhance the university. To do this,
we realized that we needed additional funding, beyond what
we have raised in the past.

Paisley: And
the board of trustees is in full support of the campaign?

Allshouse:
One hundred percent from the very beginning. First, from
a financial standpoint — I think the board has personally
given more than $50 million. Furthermore, the board has
promised to match faculty and staff donations. And so far
this commitment has resulted in $1.1 million to support
a variety of programs on campus. More importantly, though,
is the support the board has given to identify and talk
with prospects and also to ask some very prominent donors
to participate.

Paisley:
How have recent unanticipated events affected progress?

Anderson:
The world is different every day. The flood caused by Tropical
Storm Allison, the economic downturn and terrorist attacks
certainly were not contemplated when we entered the campaign.
But I also think people have kept in mind the continuing
importance of the causes that they support. For Rice, that’s
an outstanding university with exceptional programs.
Johnson: Allison also greatly affected the decision
not to go ahead with the new library. We recognized the
challenges we would face in fund-raising efforts for the
library in light of the tremendous needs of our neighbors
across the street in the Texas Medical Center and our friends
in the Theater District downtown who sustained such damage.
But I don’t think Sept. 11 will have a lasting impact
on our fund raising. Right after the attack, we saw a substantial
decrease in Annual Fund gifts as people held back a bit
to see what was going to happen. But it looks like we have
recovered most of that in succeeding months, so I think
people are returning to their core values. And clearly,
education is one of them.

Paisley: Tell
us how contributions have impacted Rice so far. Can we see
tangible results on campus?

Johnson:
Yes. For example, the building of the new Wiess College
and a complete refurbishing of Old Chemistry, now Keck Hall.
And of course the new Humanities Building and Jones School
building. This is a remarkable and visible impact that affects
students, faculty and staff alike. These buildings will
increase our classroom space by 23 percent as well as provide
additional office and research space for faculty.
Anderson: While construction on campus is the most
visible sign of the impact of the campaign, we also see
a sense of positive achievement on campus when we talk to
students. They know that because of the campaign, they now
enjoy new college facilities and new common areas.
Allshouse: Also, funding for faculty chairs, support
for junior faculty members and increased spending on some
of our graduate programs. And of course, undergraduate scholarships
to attract the best students in the country. Those are probably
not as pretty as some of the buildings but, I believe, more
important in the long run.

Paisley: We
know that many staff and faculty have been very supportive
of this major effort. What impact have their contributions
made?

Johnson:
They have given gifts to almost every corner of the institution.
Those gifts are used for a variety of purposes on campus.
Many of them give to support the departments where they
work. One of the most impressive efforts has been HOOTS,
which is a group of employees from housing and dining and
facilities and engineering who have been raising money for
scholarships for their own children to attend Rice. They’ve
had tremendous success. I made my own personal commitment
to the campaign in support of HOOTS because I admire what
they do for the university and their enthusiasm for encouraging
their own kids to come to Rice.
Allshouse: There’s no question that the gifts
from the staff, faculty and administration are very important
to the overall success of the campaign. From the beginning
of the campaign through June 30, 2001, faculty and staff
have donated nearly $2.3 million. This is impressive financial
support.

Paisley:
How do faculty and staff benefit from their contributions?

Anderson:
They work in better facilities and have funding for new
and improved programs. And they participate as full partners
on a winning team.
Johnson: Every donor, whether an employee or alumnus
of Rice, has a special way of giving back to the university.
The faculty and staff are no different. Many of our faculty
and staff are alumni themselves, so they remember their
experiences here and often give back to the scholarships
that supported them when they came here or to academic programs
that were special to them.

Paisley: Going forward, how can faculty and staff continue
to help?

Anderson:
They can continue to provide the tremendous positive support
they have given so far. The job is not yet finished. And
we look to faculty and staff to keep sharing news about
the campaign with the donors they see on a regular basis.

Johnson: Nobody understands the institution better
than faculty and staff, so they can be of enormous help
in persuading other donors to support the university. This
happens often when we bring donors to campus and ask them
to visit with faculty and staff to hear about specific programs
and opportunities. Secondly, they can help identify prospects
that we have not yet discovered. This is particularly true
of faculty and college masters who have known students over
the years and have kept in touch with them.

Paisley: What
are the biggest surprises you have experienced during the
campaign?

Allshouse:
I think the biggest surprise to me has been the number of
new donors we have come across and continue coming across
— people in Houston and around the state who love the
university, what it stands for and what it is trying to
accomplish.
Anderson: Yes. And also the fact that so many people
have gotten behind this campaign so quickly. While that’s
not really a surprise, it’s a reaffirmation of the
great program we have here at Rice.
Johnson: I’ve been surprised by the size of
gifts that Rice has received from its alumni. I don’t
think the demographic profile of Rice alumni is any different
from the average demographic profile of MIT or Stanford
alumni. But Rice alums are clearly among the most generous
in the country. This begins right here in Houston. Houston
is an extraordinarily philanthropic city. It has been since
its founding.

Paisley: So,
do you give the campaign thumbs up so far?

Anderson:
Perfect thumbs up.
Johnson: Two from me.
Allshouse: Yes!

Visit
http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~giving/news/newsprogress.html
to see the progress of the "Rice: The Next Century"
Campaign.