The Brain Trust
CURRENTS Article Historically, advancement services' responsibilities have been to keep donor and alumni records current, process gifts, and send out receipts. Advancement services has taken on more duties in recent years as institutions change the way they collect, analyze, report, and use data for strategic purposes.

Professing Pride
CURRENTS Article Canada's University of Windsor devises a handy way to make the university community aware of its strategic priorities and encourages members of the community to share why they're proud of the university and what it's done for them. As a result, the public affairs and communications office has a supply of examples that demonstrate the institution's strategic priorities put into practice and communicates them through every available outlet, building awareness and pride along the way.

Partners in Crisis
CURRENTS Article A consortium of Chicago area higher education institutions developed and signed a mutual aid agreement that is intended to provide support—such as access to facilities, equipment, and personnel including police, human resources, and communications staff—to member campuses in the initial hours of a crisis situation. The agreement has garnered approval from risk management experts, who tout the benefit of such cooperative emergency planning efforts.

Office Space: Strategic View
CURRENTS Article This article discusses who at an institution, depending on the campus, may be involved in devising social media strategy but makes it clear that partnerships across departments are essential. It also provides examples based on the experience of a few institutions and offers a sample social media brief that helped guide the author in discussions with colleagues who requested a separate social media presence for their group, office, or department.

Seamless Integration
CURRENTS Article Twenty years ago, alumni strategic plans were unusual, but they have slowly become much more mainstream. The next step in this organizational evolution is going on now: a strategic plan that aligns the alumni association's goals with the institution's goals.

Office Space: Inside the Box
CURRENTS Article Why are we always asked to think outside the box, when sometimes we need guidelines to help along the process?

Better Together
CURRENTS Article Assessments in higher education are common—exams, state board tests, surveys, and focus groups, among other instruments. However, Widener University's convergence of academic assessment, strategic planning, and reaccreditation—and how they all inform and direct fundraising and campaign planning—is unique.

Closing Remarks: Blue Sky Thinking
CURRENTS Article Fundraising campaigns conjure dreams of impressive new facilities, new educational attainments, and other lofty goals. Guilford President Kent John Chabotar says, by all means, consider high-reaching ideas and set ambitious goals--just ensure that they are supported by sound strategic planning. Chabotar shares some of Guilford's approaches leading to success.

Managers Portfolio: Love Thy Enemy
CURRENTS Article Strategic plans often are viewed as exercises that consume vast amounts of resources (especially time and staff), but they also can be useful tools for institutions—and for advancement operations. Begin to see them in a different light by overcoming some common misperceptions of what a strategic plan is, what it takes to create one, and how it can be used.

Broad Strokes, Fine Brush
CURRENTS Article Making the institution’s goals and priorities the advancement office’s goals and priorities is no easy task. This article, an adaptation of a May 2004 CASE Online Speaker Series presentation by Rensselaer’s vice president for institute advancement, emphasizes the importance of careful planning and comprehensive thinking in formulating the advancement office's role in ensuring an institution’s long-term success.

Manager's Portfolio: Two Months to Think
CURRENTS Article A college vice president describes his two-month administrative leave, which contributed to significant changes in Bates College's alumni relations efforts.

Closing Remarks: A Bicycle Built for Two?
CURRENTS Article Strategic planners can learn from Integrated Marketing, but first we have to define our terms.