2007Unit Action Plans

University Advancement and Marketing

Significant Areas of SuccessAdvancement

• Developed major gift, prospect research and planned giving policies.

• Sent administrative and support staff to 24 conferences and workshops.

• Initiated quota system to engage major gift officers at a more significant level.

• Completed 491 personal visits.• Raised $818,824 in major gifts.• Planned giving gifts to date $1,526,033, a 156%

increase.• 49 new Donor Society members to date.• Increase of in-kind gifts to Ferris, $3,839,781, a

310% increase.• Began tracking gift solicitations and closes for

first time in advancement history.

Significant Areas of Success

• Began regional donor visits in Florida and Arizona.

• Defined official donor assignment strategy placing donors with primary managers based on staff role.

• Utilized data transfer from the Kendall College of Art and Design software to the Millennium system.

• Supported and hosted the President’s “Commission for the Future.”

• Hosted 180 guests at the Michigan Construction Hall of Fame. Increased attendance by 45% and enlarged the sponsorship funding by 300%.

Significant Areas of Success

• Assisted in completion of documentation on scholarship and endowment reporting process.

• Established a football scholarship campaign with $100,000 committed to date.

• Increased Foundation Benefit attendees to 473 - 18% increase.

• Launched a volunteer donor-driven departmental annual fund in College of Technology.

Ongoing or Proposed Significant Activities

• Continue to establish policies for Major Gift Officers to include capacity ratings for major gift prospects and their affinity for giving.

• Continue to monitor and assess performance expectations. MGOs will document 175 face-to-face visits.

• Initiate a 33% solicitation gift closure for 2008-2009.

Ongoing or Proposed Significant Activities

• Work with President and Vice President for UA&M to plan for the capital campaign.

• Continue to facilitate funding opportunities for the Jim Crow Museum.

• Continue internal staff audit and campaign readiness, including adding needed resources.

Significant Areas of Success

Marketing and Communications

Marketing

• Strengthened brand awareness and visibility through statewide media placements.

• Produced award-winning recruiting materials that contributed to enrollment growth.

• Produced high-quality fund-raising, alumni and reputation-building communications.

• Re-designed the Crimson & Gold magazine.

News Services/Media Relations

• Improved crisis communications.• Enhanced the measurement of media relations

activities. • Expanded awareness of Ferris’

accomplishments by featuring them on the home page.

• Generated positive news coverage of University initiatives.

Web/Multimedia/Photography

• Rebuilt the Ferris home page to include multimedia content.

• Improved the internal search function through the Google-Mini search appliance.

• Developed user-friendly Web Content Management system for colleges and departments.

• Created a cross-divisional model for teamwork and efficiency.

• Revised guidelines and institutional policies for the Ferris Web site.

Ongoing or Proposed Significant Activities

Marketing

• Collaborate cross-divisionally to implement the integrated marketing and recruitment plan.

• Provide needed market research to improve institutional decision-making.

• Articulate the value of consistent graphics and messaging.

• Create a marketing innovation fund to support entrepreneurial activity in the division.

• Reach the 100,000 Michigan high school students taking the ACT by expanding communications.

Marketing

• Continue the statewide marketing campaign by retaining outside marketing services.

• Address increasing Crimson & Gold magazine costs.

• Expand graphic design services to meet a growing demand for communications.

• Preserve our photographic history by acquiring the needed hardware/software storage.

News Services/Media Relations

• Continue proactive measures to improve crisis and issues management communications.

• Enhance the Faculty Experts Web site and identify opportunities for publicity.

• Implement a campus beat system for identifying stories.

• Expand relationships with news media in northern, western and southeastern Michigan.

• Improve the Campus News Web site by exploring best practices.

Web/Multimedia Services

• Publish more multimedia content that showcases student life and academic programs.

• Improve the user interface for the Content Management Systems.

• Develop a multimedia-driven site to give prospective students a slice-of-life experience.

• Continue to work with search optimization consultant to keep Ferris State’s rankings high.

Web/Multimedia Services

• Utilize a strategic approach to maintain, improve and evaluate Web resource needs.

• Roll out interface allowing handheld device users to receive a customized Ferris site.

• Determine the value of emerging technologies and how they should be incorporated.

• Implement a Web Content Development Team to respond to the growing demand for services.

Significant Areas of Success Alumni Relations

• Hosted 14 alumni events engaging 1,700+.• Partnered to support 20 other events engaging

2,300+.• 2006 Presidential Bus Tour

– Events/meetings at 15 locations statewide.– Engaged 500+ partners, alumni and friends.

• Online Community Web site, www.ferrisalumni.org– 7,000+ new registered users, up 483%.– 552 alumni found each other via site, up 121%. – Increased broadcast e-mails to alumni 54%.

• Assisted the 2006 Ferris Foundation for Excellence Benefit.

Annual Giving

• Increase of overall cash giving to Ferris, $3,152,049, a 24% increase FYTD.

• Increase of support from alumni, $928,115, a 55% increase FYTD.

• Increase of response to telemarketing– 2006 Fall, 1,571 pledges, a 13% increase.– 2006 Fall calling pledges totaled $91,122, a

27% increase.– As of 3/2/07, 1,362 of these pledges were

fulfilled totaling $88,911 or 97%.

Advancement Services

• Improved accuracy of contact data in the Millennium system - up 6.13% to 88.01%– 54,477 address changes/additions.– 128,594 record updates.

• Conducted “Alumni Finder” data cleansing project for The Ferris Foundation– Target Data: Grads ‘59-’89 or 60,523– 4 Batch “Scrubs”: 1) Update contact data

2) E-mail append

3) Wealth scoring4) Work location

– Results: 567 address updates8,275 e-mails17,000 wealth scores

24,314 work locations

Ongoing or Proposed Significant Activities

• Expand Annual Giving operations through additional resources, such as S&E.

• Increase capability to use Millennium database.

• Raise total cash gifts of $4,200,000 in FY08.• Increase constituent market research

– Improve effectiveness/efficiency of both programmatic and philanthropic engagement.

• Conduct numerous activities for alumni and friends around Michigan and in selected areas nationwide.

Ongoing or Proposed Significant Activities

• Expand advancement and scholarship services with additional resources.

• Explore opportunities for additional database cleansing.

• Online community Web site overhaul– Update the design, look and feel to interact better

with ferris.edu.

– Change/add services to provide more of a “Facebook/MySpace” end-user experience.

– Demand greater control of site from our offices.

Significant Areas of Success

Office of the Vice President

• Assisted with fundraising for the annual Foundation for Excellence Benefit.

• Coordinated and assisted with personal solicitations to individuals resulting in private support to the University.

• Participated in numerous alumni and advancement events.

• Worked toward advancement of Foundation activities.

• Continued to support development and refining of support system activities for Advancement area.

Ongoing or Proposed Significant Activities

• Maintain and adjust organizational administration structure.

• Assist with The Ferris Foundation activities.• Serve as the executive director of The Ferris

Foundation.• Develop and recommend strategy for capital

campaign including needed resource allocation required for successful results.

• Continue to recruit employees who will have an affinity and passion for promoting and assisting with fundraising for Ferris State University.

Thank You!