Closing Remarks: Those Enormous Endowments
CURRENTS Article The endowments of the richest U.S. colleges and universities are big and becoming enormous. The author posits that U.S. higher education is losing its way and proposes a way to rectify the disparity between rich and and not-so-rich institutions.

Sweet Smell of Success
CURRENTS Article The 2007 CASE Circle of Excellence grand gold and gold medal winners profiled in this article have taken their advancement publications, events, and programs to a higher level. These featured winners, however, are a small sample of the 319 winners from 195 institutions.

Present and Accounted for
CURRENTS Article The new climate of accountability has left many institutions scrambling to demonstrate to donors that their gifts are valued, are doing what donors intended them to do, and are continuing to have an impact on the institution’s long-term success. This article chronicles the development of Donor Direct, an online endowment-stewardship tool developed by the University of Texas at Austin to reassure donors that their gifts are being managed properly. In addition to providing standard financial reporting, Donor Direct allows donors and their beneficiaries to connect directly online, building what UT Austin hopes will become lifelong relationships across generations of supporters.

Mining for Gold
CURRENTS Article Profiles of 12 CASE Circle of Excellence 2003 winners. Member institution nominees were judged on the creativity of their alumni relations, communications, and development initiatives, including alumni publications, reunions, constituency giving, stewardship, and alumni relations programs. Profiled winners include Brigham Young University/University of Utah; Columbia College Chicago; Georgia Tech Alumni Association; Goucher College; Imperial College London; the Institute for Shipboard Education; Lehigh University Alumni Association; Monroe Community College Foundation; Pennsylvania State University; the University of Chicago; the University of Iowa Alumni Association; and the University of Miami.