Texas Tech Chancellor Robert Duncan On Courting Different Kinds of Donations

Universities often rely on a few big donors, but Robert Duncan, the chancellor of the Texas Tech University System, says colleges should not forget about smaller contributions from alumni and other loyal donors.

Donors to Texas Tech are increasingly from the energy sector. Oil and natural gas have experienced a boom in the region in recent years, but the industry can be volatile, he says.

“It’s a little easier to raise funds when oil is $100 a barrel as opposed to $40,” Duncan notes. “But at the same time, the energy sector is pretty healthy in our part of the world.”