Difference between revisions of "Office of Alumni and Development"
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Revision as of 11:53, 23 April 2008
University Development and Alumni Relations (UDAR) is an executive level operation run by Executive Vice President Susan Feagin. It has a dual mission, as hinted by its name - cultivating a strong alumni base, and then getting their money. It can be argued that for a long time, Columbia skipped the first part of the equation.
They're the force behind the Columbia Alumni Association, the Columbia Campaign, and they publish Columbia, the university's quarterly magazine.
Recent History
Until 2005, UDAR had it's own website[1], which served as the main 'Alumni Website' and highlighted its efforts on both the fronts - development and relations. In 2005, Columbia Connections was launched as the new alumni website. During the summer of 2007, the website was rebranded and reorganized as the website of the Columbia Alumni Association, shortly after the launch of the Giving to Columbia website. Previously, the UDAR and Connections website maintained a page which listed the options and directions for donating. This marked an unofficial bifurcation of the two pursuits.
Alumni Relations
Although an Office of Alumni Relations existed within UDAR, it wasn't until 2004 that it was elevated in importance when Eric Furda was appointed to the newly created position of Vice President for Alumni Relations. Previously, a single VP handled both alumni relations and development.
Prior to Furda's appointment as VP, Alumni Relations focused on providing Alumni Benefits, and overseeing Regional Alumni Clubs, the Columbia University Alumni Federation, and the Alumni Travel Study Program.
Since taking over, Furda has overseen the launch of the Columbia Alumni Assocation, the Columbia Connections website, and effort to strengthen the Regional Alumni Clubs. The CAA has been the vehicle for kick-starting a number of alumni services and events.
Development
The history of fundraising at Columbia is interesting, comical, and often forehead-slap worthy. However, with the launch of the Columbia Campaign, Columbia has stepped up it's efforts on the development front, laying the groundwork with the launch of the Columbia Alumni Association on the relations side first, and the launch during Summer of 2007 of the Giving to Columbia website, a quantum leap in it's web-based fundraising and awareness efforts. UDAR has a Vice President of Development, Fred Van Sickle, and an Executive Director of Donor Relations, Dan Baker CC '76.
