Carol Folt talks fundraising plans

Chancellor Carol Folt and her advisory committee are working to plan a comprehensive fundraising campaign for the University by developing a strategy that includes both private donors and state support.

At Monday’s Chancellor’s Advisory Committee meeting, Folt said the committee will make a more concerted effort toward fundraising in the coming months.

University administrators began talks about the largest fundraising campaign ever in early 2012 with former Vice Chancellor for University Advancement Matt Kupec.

At the time, the goal was to raise more money than UNC’s most recent major fundraising campaign, Carolina First, which brought in $2.38 billion in eight years and ended in 2007.

The plans were delayed after Kupec resigned last year. He admitted to improperly using $17,000 of University foundation funds for personal travel expenses.

The search for Kupec’s replacement lasted about a year, and Folt decided to split Kupec’s former position into two roles. She named David Routh UNC’s vice chancellor for development on Sept. 26.

Routh said in September that it could take more than a year before a major fundraising campaign is launched. But Folt said in the meeting Monday that they aim to begin formally planning the campaign soon.

Folt said there were people being engaged with the campaign as they were speaking, and she plans to meet with chancellors and deans of other universities to discuss campaign possibilities.

“Our hope is that at the beginning of January we’ll do more strategic planning for the campaign,” Folt said. “UNC hasn’t been in a comprehensive campaign since the early 2000s.”

Folt said the University also needs to better communicate its message to the state in order to obtain funds. She hired Joel Curran to fill the other half of Kupec’s former position — now the vice chancellor of public affairs position — in order to better communicate UNC’s value.

“We need to be clear about the benefits coming from the University,” Folt said. “We aren’t just a dorm and a football team. We’re working on promoting oneness. These multi-faceted arms are what actually make us a service to the state.”

Joseph Ferrell, a professor in the School of Government, said education has done well in the state.

“It’s a difficult job creating balance,” he said.

To get more input about campaign strategies, Folt wants to get feedback from faculty and alumni groups.

Dr. Bruce Cairns, director of the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Center, said they should consider how they can make sure the campaign does not interfere with the state’s mission of funding the University.

Folt said she is looking forward to the future and the new strategies that will arise from the campaign.

“There are a lot of things we’re dealing with that are really old. People are feeling stalled since that’s all they’re able to talk about,” she said.

“That’s not happening anymore.”

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