A Letter from Amit Mrig, President, Academic Impressions

 The operating environment for institutions is increasingly challenging – rising competition, declining resources, and changing demographics are all putting tremendous pressure on colleges and universities. As with organizations in any industry, when conditions get tougher, there is a tendency to retrench and focus on short-term objectives and needs.

Many institutions have responded to the recent economic downturn in this way, adjusting their fundraising tactics to maximize immediate returns. However, institutions must ask themselves: Is this strategy sustainable, and does it position our institution to compete in the future?

Institutions that take a longer-term view and adopt a more intentional and authentic approach to engaging alumni, parents, and others in their work are capable of generating more significant returns – and not only financial returns. A more engaged constituency leads to greater advocacy for the institution, a widening network of resources on which the institution can draw for input, and increased opportunities for partnerships that will help the institution advance its mission.

In this issue, we’ve reached out to some of the most forward-thinking experts in advancement and to a university president to find out how an engagement-focused approach works, how to create buy-in from institutional leadership, and how to involve key academic stakeholders in the effort. We hope their advice will be useful to you.