A candidate vying for Ohio University’s top fundraising position hopes to use faculty and students to draw donations to the university and motivate donors to give during tough economic times.
Bryan Benchoff, who is one of two finalists for vice president for University Advancement, spoke to an audience of about 50 during an open forum yesterday. He emphasized cooperation with faculty and students as well as promoting OU’s reputation to potential donors.
“You’d be hard-pressed to find a dean or department chair, with rare exception, who views higher education philanthropy … to be their job,” Benchoff said. “... It’s really everyone’s job. That doesn’t mean everyone has to solicit a gift, but everyone has to be a part of it.”
Benchoff suggested that faculty tell donors where their money is going and that students write thank-you letters to donors who have funded scholarships.
He also acknowledged that raising millions of dollars during a recession is difficult and discouraged fundraisers from focusing on university budget cuts when seeking gifts.
“In higher education, (budget cuts, fiscal uncertainty and desperation) are not going to get donors’ attention,” he said. “That’s not why they’re going to step up. That’s not why people want to invest in higher education. They want to build a stronger university.”
OU is currently about halfway through its Promise Lives fundraising campaign, which aims to raise $450 million by June 30, 2015. As of February, OU had raised about $231 million.
Benchoff is currently president and CEO of the University of South Dakota Foundation and previously worked on a campaign for West Virginia University that raised about $334 million.
The other finalist — Lori Lewis, who is currently vice president of advancement at Marietta College — visited campus last week for her interview and open forum. After an OU search committee presents its recommendations to President Roderick McDavis, he will decide either to hire one of the candidates or to start a new search.
Kent Smith, vice president for Student Affairs and head of the OU search committee, praised the turnout for Benchoff’s open forum.
“People seem to genuinely understand the value of this position,” Smith said.
The OU search committee will meet next week to decide which candidate, if any, to recommend to McDavis. OU also used a national search firm, Witt/Kieffer, to find candidates. The university will pay Witt/Kieffer one-third of the winning candidate’s first-year salary.
OU hopes to have a new vice president for University Advancement in place by July 1, the start of next fiscal year. McDavis has been serving as interim since Howard Lipman left for a similar job at Florida International University earlier this year. Lipman last earned $232,000 in the position.
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