Carolina First
Posted on Nov. 13, 2002Chancellor James Moeser often has noted that Carolina’s journey to become the nation’s leading public university will never end, but to achieve this lofty goal, we must be relentless in assembling the resources needed to remain competitive. Our University has just embarked on a fresh chapter in its history of assembling the kinds of resources that ensure Carolina stays competitive, with the public launch of the $1.8 billion Carolina First fund-raising campaign.
Doug Dibbert ’70
In 1982, three decades after the General Alumni Association created UNC’s Alumni Annual Giving program — which the GAA turned over to the University in the early 1950s and which is now known as the Carolina Annual Fund — annual collections for the first time surpassed $1 million. Nine years later, when Carolina launched the public phase of the Bicentennial Campaign, the five-year campaign goal first was announced as $200 million and later was revised to $320 million; the money raised ultimately exceeded $413 million. Significantly, at that time state appropriations represented 37 percent of the University’s budget.
Carolina raised $83 million in the final year of the Bicentennial Campaign; eight years later, in 2001, it raised $180 million.And today state appropriations represent 27 percent of Carolina’s budget.
The Carolina First campaign goal clearly is an audacious one. It is being led by volunteer co-chairs, UNC trustee Paul Fulton ’57 and Charlie Shaffer ’64, the son of UNC’s first director of development. They are supported by a talented central University development staff that, in turn, works with the College of Arts and Sciences and each of UNC’s schools and their deans and development staffs. Nearly $1 billion is to be raised by the schools of medicine, business and public health and by the College of Arts and Sciences.
Carolina’s focus is on gifts that will impact our University. Since the campaign began, donors have established 92 endowed professorships and 267 undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships.
In the next five years of the Carolina First campaign, let us measure our successes by the differences our gifts are making, not by the size of particular gifts. It is inspiring that $866 million already has been raised in gifts and pledges. A $25 million anonymous gift, in memory of our late Chancellor Michael Hooker ’69, is funding cutting-edge research in proteomics while another $10 million gift will help more Carolina students and faculty to study and teach abroad.
The case statement for the Carolina First — which can be read on the Web at carolinafirst.unc.education.pdf — captures the spirit of Carolina that inspires the campaign:
“… If Carolina isn’t leading, it isn’t Carolina.”
“How we learn is changing as swiftly as what we learn.”
“We stand ready to pioneer critical new areas of discovery and service — not only to be ahead if the curve, but to draw the curve.”
“Research at Carolina makes your town’s schools better, your air and water cleaner, your highways safer and your family healthier.”
“We will do more than build buildings. We will create invigorating learning environments for teaching, research and service that encourage collaboration across disciplines and foster Carolina’s unique spirit of collegiality.”
The case statement notes that “Carolina First is not a campaign targeted to a few wealthy alumni and friends. We need the investment of donors at all levels in order to succeed. … All of us — at every level of giving — are responsible for the future of the University.”
We will hear and learn much about Carolina First in the coming years. Our support should not only be viewed as an opportunity to give back in appreciation for all that Carolina has given us but also as investment, to protect the value of our diplomas.
And our private gifts cannot replace the much-needed public support from North Carolina taxpayers that now exceeds the earnings from an $8 billion endowment. (Carolina’s current endowment is $1 billion.)
Let us never forget the traditions, qualities, history and mission that set Carolina apart from so many other colleges and universities — public and private — many more handsomely endowed than we, but few that can claim the remarkable stature UNC has earned. As we focus on raising private gifts and protecting and enhancing public grants and appropriations, let us never forget our top priority remains that of educational excellence. What happens in the classrooms and laboratories should always remain our principal focus.
Yours at Carolina,
Douglas S. Dibbert ’70
