2012 Campus Campaign enters seventh year with highest goal yet

"It's such a wonderful place, but our students really need help," said Dina Harris director of development of the IU South Bend office of Public Affairs and University Advancement (PAUA), in reference to the IUSB community. That's the idea that led to the creation of the Campus Campaign, a year-long appeal directed exclusively at campus staff and faculty to make a donation to their choice of over 200 different fund accounts spread across campus.

Accounts that receive donations are tied to a wide array of student scholarships, academic departments, building repairs and renovations, improvements for classroom equipment, athletics, events and other areas that would not otherwise receive any additional funding from the school.

Initiated in 2006 by the office of PAUA, the campaign's first fundraising goal was set at $5,000. By the end of that year, the campaign tripled that amount in raising over $15,000. Six years and $294,228 donated dollars later, the 2012 goal has been set at $104,000.

There is no designated minimum or maximum donation limit, but the campaign only accepts donations from campus faculty and staff. Last year's average donation size was $240.

The theme of this year's campaign is "Impact," meant to emphasize how the wide variety of accounts receiving donation are all intended to positively contribute the quality of student life and academics.

An indirect benefit of the Campus Campaign's success has been increased visibility in the donating community outside of campus.

"As director of development, when I go out into the public and I say we have ‘x' number percent of our faculty and staff donating, or that we've exceeded our goal by ‘x' amount, that's really when the donor says ‘Oh, if the people that worked there believed in it, maybe I should give there too,' " Harris noted.

To kick off the campaign, the office of PAUA is hosting a roast with Executive Vice Chancellor Alfred J. Guillaume, Jr.on February 10 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in the University Grill. Guillaume will be taking the stage himself to talk about the importance of the campus campaign. Only staff and faculty are invited to attend the roast and there will be tables set up by different academic departments to show off their students' best work in order to strengthen inter-department awareness.

The campaign's website, scheduled to be updated and running during the first week of February, will feature a video produced by Media Services featuring interviews with students who have benefited from the campaign-funded scholarships, as well as several IUSB graduates who have given back to the University.

As tuition costs and fees continue to increase in the midst of a weak economy, many students are finding additional assistance more crucial than ever.

"The majority of our students work 20 to 40 hours a week and go half or full-time, and if we can give them a scholarship of even $500 or $1000, $500 might pay for books that semester. It's expensive and it gets more expensive every year," Harris acknowledged.

For more information on the 2012 Campus Campaign, visit www.iusb.edu/development.