Office of Institutional Advancement Responds to Strategic Plan

The Office of Institutional Advancement is undertaking two initiatives to benefit the College’s marketing and fund-raising efforts. According to Shelley Semmler, vice president for institutional advancement, both initiatives --- an integrated marketing plan and a task force to strengthen faculty participation in fund-raising --- emerged as priorities in the College’s recently completed strategic planning process.

"An integrated marketing communications plan will help us create a strong, consistent image for the College, which we can communicate to current and prospective students, donors, and employees as well as to alumni and other important audiences," Semmler says.

The marketing plan is being developed by an ad hoc committee composed of members representing faculty, staff, administration, and the board of trustees (see box at right).The committee is working with Steege/Thomson Communications, a Philadelphia consulting firm that specializes in higher education, to identify the College’s strengths and needs and to develop strategies to better convey the College’s image to its constituencies. To help understand how the College sees itself, representatives of Steege/Thomson interviewed faculty, staff, students, and alumni last spring.

"Faculty support of the project has been particularly strong," Semmler says, adding that in July Pat LePera of Steege/Thomson returned to campus to conduct brainstorming sessions with an ad hoc faculty group as well as the Marketing Committee. "The ideas generated by these groups will play a key role in the firm’s recommendations. The firm will also use the information gathered in their interviews as well as other research to prepare a draft of an integrated marketing plan to present to the committee this fall."

A second institutional priority --- strengthening private giving through faculty involvement --- is being addressed by the newly formed Faculty Institutional Advancement Committee, chaired by professor of theater arts Arno Selco. Comprising 15 faculty members representing all five schools (see below), the committee is investigating ways in which faculty may assist the Office of Institutional Advancement in generating outside funds to be used for a variety of department, school, and College purposes.

"Since one of our long-term goals is to become less tuition dependent by increasing private support, we need to have faculty play a larger role in our efforts to build relationships with current and potential donors," Semmler says.

"Faculty members have a unique and important perspective on our students and alumni," adds President Peggy R. Williams. "To have our faculty working in tandem with the Office of Institutional Advancement will help create a culture of giving consistent with the institution’s long-range goals."

The Office of Institutional Advancement is working with the members of the following committees to develop an integrated marketing plan and to strengthen faculty participation in fund-raising.

Marketing Committee

• Shelley Semmler, vice president for institutional advancement, chair
• John Bradac, director of career services
• Lee Byron, associate professor of theater arts
• Penny Chick, director of the Annual Fund
• Don Eckrich, professor of business administration
• Kristen Ford, director of intercollegiate athletics
• Pam Freeman, writer/editor
• Harold "Bud" Garrity ’68, trustee
• Martha Gray, director of institutional research
• Scott Hamula, assistant professor of television-radio
• Ann Hoffman, development associate
• Dave Maley, director of public information
• Mike McGreevey, executive assistant to the president
• Larry Metzger, M.S. ’87, dean of enrollment planning
• Paula Mitchell, director of admission
• Art Ostrander, dean of the School of Music
• Michael Pagliarulo, associate professor of physical therapy
• Roger Richardson, director of multicultural affairs
• Carl Sgrecci ’69, vice president and treasurer
• Maura Stephens, senior editor for special projects
• David Stewart ’67, trustee
• Graham Stewart ’81, M.S. ’01, director of alumni relations
• Marina Todd, director of college relations
• Gerard Turbide, associate director of admission
• Martha Turnbull, director of human resources

Faculty Institutional Advancement Committee

• Arno Selco, professor of theater arts, chair
• Randie Blooding, associate professor of voice
• Vicki Cameron, professor of biology
• Harvey Fireside, Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus of History
• Elia Kacapyr, associate professor of economics
• Jeanne Lawless, assistant professor of health promotion and human movement
• Hormoz Movassaghi, associate professor of business administration
• George Schuler, retired associate professor of psychology
• Gwen Seaquist, associate professor of business administration
• Marc Servetnick, associate professor of biology
• Gary Sforzo, professor of exercise and sport sciences
• Steve Skopik, associate professor of cinema and photography
• Wenmouth Williams, professor of television-radio
• Greg Woodward, M.M. ’78, professor of music theory and composition
• Raquib Zaman, Charles A. Dana Professor of Finance