Fundraising campaign on track for $1 billion

Although this university's goal of raising $1 billion in just a few years once seemed lofty, administrative officials said they are now less than $100 million off the mark — and still have a year to raise the rest.

The Great Expectations campaign was spearheaded by former university President Dan Mote to bolster fundraising efforts and continue this university's ascendancy as an international powerhouse. While the program was initially slated to end this month, officials extended the deadline by a year to Dec. 12, 2012, after the economic recession caused a decline in donations. And with $904 million already collected, fundraisers said they are certain next year's goal is well within reach.

"I feel confident that we'll get there," said Laura Cocoltchos, architecture school development director. "We've got great people working for us and everybody's moving in the right direction."

The largest portion of the funds — $350 million, or 35 percent — will go toward increasing financial aid and scholarship opportunities for students; 22.5 percent will be used for faculty retention; 17.5 percent will help fund facilities maintenance and campus upkeep; and 25 percent will help develop more entrepreneurial and innovation programs, according to the campaign's website.

Mote and a slew of university officials amped up fundraising efforts when they realized the university needed more money than the state was able to provide.

"[President Mote] realized, and others did, too, that we couldn't rely on state funding to be nationally and internationally distinctive," university Vice President of University Relations Brodie Remington said.

"State funding is great, but it's not enough, and we have to do a lot of other things to have the kind of resources needed for excellence."

To ensure the university stays on track to meet the $1 billion mark, individual colleges — as well as departments such as the libraries and athletics — were given monetary goals to be met.

Several colleges, including arts and humanities, behavioral and social sciences, the business school and the engineering school have all surpassed their initial dollar amounts, which range from $35 million to more than $100 million.

The engineering school, which was tasked with fundraising $185 million, was able to exceed that figure due to several large gifts — most prominently with James Clark's $30 million and Robert Fischell's $31 million donations.

But after a couple years of successful fundraising efforts, the college had its sights set on an even bigger number, said Leslie Borak, engineering school assistant dean for external relations.

To ensure efforts are effective, Borak said, officials encourage donors to direct their gifts to specific causes.

"When we passed 185, I wasn't that excited because I was already looking at crossing the 200 million mark," Borak said.

"I try to match what's exciting for the donor, what goes to his or her core values."

And although Remington, who has led the campaign since it first began five years ago, will be stepping down from his position within the next year, he said he plans to stay active until he sees through the campaign's final stages next year.

"This is going to be a very smooth transition and not at all be disruptive to the campaign," he said.

marcot@umdbk.com