Outlook: Advancement's Faulty Foundation
CURRENTS Article Andrew W. Reeher, CEO of Reeher LLC, offers advice on how colleges and universities can make better investments of time and money in their fundraising operations.

United by Goals
CURRENTS Article This article looks at the importance of communications and marketing being an integral part of the integrated advancement team and the benefits that can result from such an arrangement.

La comunicación es de Marte, las admisiones son de Venus
CURRENTS Article A pesar de que ambas divisiones trabajan para alcanzar el mismo objetivo, parecerían estar a varios sistemas solares de distancia.

Communications Is from Mars, Admissions Is from Venus
CURRENTS Article Communications and admissions marketing both work toward bettering the institution, though they go about it in completely different ways. Can the two departments collaborate better to integrate these two areas?

Repair Required
CURRENTS Article Managing internal communications can be a challenge. But the way that communications are set up internally really gives the external world a clear picture of your institution's brand and message.

Open-Door Policy
CURRENTS Article When alumni and development officers work together and share many tasks and responsibilities, they can help their campuses attract much-needed resources and enhance the bottom line. Although many senior advancement officers might be reluctant to fully commit to such integrated efforts, the advantages are becoming too numerous and powerful to overlook. Alumni relations professionals are in the best position to identify new donors. What’s more, integrated initiatives result in better services for millions of alumni donors. Campus leaders can integrate their advancement operations by building multidepartmental teams for specific tasks, celebrating major successes with all advancement officers, and relying on a single advancement mission and vision.

A New Breed
CURRENTS Article This article examines the complex and often convoluted relationships between admissions and advancement. It describes how marketing is the place where all areas of advancement find common ground and how, for a long time, marketing had its place within the distinct silos in admissions and advancement. Now, however, institutions are developing more comprehensive structures that combine recruitment and advancement in the interest of adopting a true integrated marketing mindset.

Buddy Systems?
CURRENTS Article University systems exist because together the institutions that comprise them are stronger and better positioned than they would be as rivals. Competition among campuses within systems exists, of course, and advancement structures vary, but the benefits of the collaboration that occurs far outweigh whatever tensions arise. This article examines system advancement models at the University of Texas, the State University of New York, the University of Nebraska, and the University of Maryland systems.

Manager's Portfolio: Achieving Fabled Service
CURRENTS Article Like Nordstrom and other companies famous for customer service, alumni associations should infuse quality constituent service into everything they do. This column features examples from the University of Michigan Alumni Association, which has created a customer relations staff.

Two Approaches, One Goal
CURRENTS Article Know the inherent strengths of both centralized and decentralized advancement structures

Rethinking Our Craft
CURRENTS Article Stone, former president of the Stanford Alumni Association, describes the multiyear process that led to the merger of the alumni association into the university, in sharp contrast to the association’s century-old tradition of independence. His key points: (1) Institutions must “own” their alumni relations responsibilities, and (2) alumni relations requires an entire institution’s commitment to lifelong relationships. Stone also offers advice to alumni relations officers on their role and responsibilities.

Campaign Strategies: Orchestrating a Harmonious Campaign
CURRENTS Article To coordinate a comprehensive campaign within a heavily decentralized organizational structure, University of Virginia officials developed a complex but flexible collaboration model that addressed the development needs of the institution’s 26 separate units. The central development office provided support and services at varying levels for the different units and worked to develop trust and respect.

End Notes: A Declaration of Interdependence
CURRENTS Article In 1998, after 106 years of independence, the Stanford Alumni Association became an official division of Stanford University. The change followed three years of study, extensive negotiations, and a vote by SAA members. In an interview, association president Bill Stone explains that SAA and Stanford leaders decided a merger would provide better access and increased resources.

The Day We Closed the News Bureau
CURRENTS Article In April 1996, the Indiana University news bureau closed and the Office of Communications and Marketing was opened as the first step in adopting an integrated marketing approach for the university. Simpson outlines how this change occurred. A supportive president, a willing staff and ongoing internal communications efforts are credited with making this change a success. Recognizing that the university was not reaching all constituencies through the media, staff adopted a more active role in setting goals, and conducting research to enhance the institution's image. Meetings with legislators, alumni and business leaders indicated that while their image of the university was good, there were lots of misperceptions about the tuition costs. These meetings also indicated that many important audiences were not being reached.