April 1, 2004 | Read Time: 2 minutes
The State University of New York has announced plans to raise $3-billion by 2012, a sum that exceeds the largest amount previously raised in a single higher-education campaign.
The original $1-billion goal of the drive, which began in December 2000, was multiplied by three after it was accomplished 18 months early, in mid-2003.
The money will help the university’s 64 campuses, each of which has its own campaign fund-raising goal.
“Like every state university in the country, the amount of state support that we get, while it is substantial, is never enough to do all the things that we need to do on our campuses,” said Robert L. King, State University of New York chancellor.
SUNY’s goal exceeds the amount raised in what is believed to be the single most successful higher-education campaign, the $2.85-billion that the University of Southern California raised over nine years in a drive it completed last year.
John Lippincott, interim president of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, in Washington, says that while several other state education systems have raised more than a billion dollars, the State University of New York’s goal is the most ambitious to date.
However, he notes that when comparing dollars raised, observers need to take into account the differing lengths of campaigns, as well as the number of institutions working together to raise money in a single campaign. USC, for example, has just two campuses.
Before announcing the campaign, Mr. King said SUNY officials made sure the donations would not lead to a cut in government funds.
“We have secured from Governor [George E.] Pataki a commitment that what we raise is not going to be used to offset state support,” he said. Last year the 64 four-year institutions and community colleges received $1.2-billion from New York State for operating assistance.
The $3-billion campaign has already prompted some of the largest gifts recorded by the state’s colleges and universities.
For example, an anonymous donation of $600,000 has been given to the North Country Community College, in Saranac Lake, and a $1-million pledge has been made to Empire State College, in Saratoga Springs.
SUNY officials say they have collected more than $1-billion so far through its four-year institutions, but are still tallying results from some other campuses that are part of the system.
Mr. King says the fund-raising successes of the State University of New York system in recent years indicate that “if we can find our alumni and make the ask, they will help.”
He adds: “We just haven’t been looking for them in the past, but now we are.”
