Generations campaign surpasses $767 million goal
By FINN PRESSLY
Notre Dame’s Generations campus, the most ambitious fund-raising effort in Catholic higher education, met its initial goal of $767 million this summer, surpassing its loftiest goals 18 months early. “Generations: A campaign for the Notre Dame student” officially began in May 1997, intent on reaching $767 million by Dec. 31, 2000. At press time, the campaign directors boasted $805 million in gifts and pledges, most of which came from alumni donations.
“If you ... add up the results of every previous campaign, it amounts to $740 million,” said William Sexton, vice president for University Relations. “[The Generations campaign] exceeds all six campaigns in the past combined.”
Divying up the dollars
Undergraduate scholarships have benefited the most from the campaign, said Daniel Reagan, assistant vice president for University Relations.
“We have a goal of $178 million that we’re trying raise for undergraduate scholarship. We’ve raised just under $140 million,” Reagan said. “[Scholarships is] the largest component and the single largest area where money has been raised.”
Although the projected goal has been surpassed, the Generations campaign is far from over, Sexton said, because many donations have been earmarked for specific purposes by their donors.
Several areas remain “underfunded,” said Reagan, who also serves as executive director of Development.
The campaign’s aim for the next 14 months will be to raise money for financial aid, graduate programs, endowed chairs, a science teaching facility, an engineering research facility, the Hesburgh Library and the Kresge Law Library.
New priorities also emerged since the campaign began, Sexton noted.
Long-term planning
Among new funding prospects is the Coleman-Morse Building, which will house Campus Ministry and the First Year of Studies. Money was set aside for a new Campus Ministry office, but plans to for the building were not introduced until after the campaign began, Sexton said.
Academic institutes and collegiate needs have been addressed.
“This spans a broad spectrum of needs within the colleges. We’re in the area of $40 to $60 million that we’re trying to raise for various academic needs,” Reagan said. The Irish Studies department is one such example.
Other areas of the University will benefit from the Generations campaign, according to Scott Malpass, vice president for Finance and chief investment officer for the University.
The campaign’s residual effects will help keep student costs down, he explained.
“It’s wonderful from a financial standpoint ... how well we’ve done with that in terms of what it will mean for keeping costs down,” Malpass said. “The more endowment we have for students and faculty, the less the costs will have to be on the operating budget of the University.”
Meeting the deadline
While some programs still lack donations, Sexton is optimistic that every area chosen to receive funding will have its share before the campaign’s December 2000 end-date.
“We expect to finish all the priorities before the deadline,” he said.
Reagan pointed to the campaign’s clear goals, the nation’s strong economy and support from the Development office for Generation’s success.
The project, an offshoot of the Colloquy for the Year 2000, aims to improve those areas of the University indentified by the recent report on campus needs.
Sexton expects the pattern to continue.
“In the spring of 2003, we’ll commence another colloquy-like discussion,” he said. The University then will set priorities and begin another fund-raising campaign.
The most recent campaign was nearly a decade ago, and like the current campaign, met its goal of $300 million far earlier than expected. In the end, it raised $463 million, approximately half of what the Generations campaign is expected to earn.
All News Stories for Thursday, August 4, 1999
