Philanthropy And American Higher Education

Philanthropy and American Higher Education provides higher education professionals, leaders and scholars with a thoughtful, comprehensive introduction to the scope and development of philanthropy and fund raising as part of the essential life and work of colleges and universities in the United States.

From gifts of blankets, chickens, and candles to multimillion-dollar gifts and billion-dollar campaigns, voluntary support of American higher education has been part of the American ethos since the founding of the colonial colleges. Peter Dobkin Hall in 1992 noted that "no single force is more responsible for the emergence of the modern university in America than giving by individuals and foundations." Institutions are turning to private giving to meet budgetary demands. This book provides a review of the philanthropy and fundraising literature and addresses the impact of philanthropy on American higher education, the theoretical under-pinnings and motivations for voluntary support, and a comprehensive look at the mechanics of fundraising.

Philanthropy and American Higher Education provides higher education professionals, leaders and scholars with a thoughtful, comprehensive introduction to the scope and development of philanthropy and fund raising as part of the essential life and work of colleges and universities in the United States.

A work that can truly be described as an underground masterpiece, Sears' Philanthropy in the History of American Higher Education was written as a dissertation seventy years ago, and subsequently published as a "Bulletin" by the United States Bureau of Education in 1922. It has been much spoken of and little read since then. As Roger L. Geiger points out in his new opening essay, this volume can still be read with wide interest and great profit. This is a tribute to the quality of mind and diligence of its author. The special quality of this volume is its close connection of educational philosophies of the past linked firmly to the educational philanthropies of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The scope of coverage is broad-ranging: from the great universities to the manual labor colleges. But it is more than quantitative research that the reader will find. For Sears, from start to finish, while appreciating the benefits which foundations bestow, fully appreciated the continuing risks of such outside support. For Sears, the overwhelming impulse of philanthropy has been the encouragement of the public good, or at least the support of a healthy notoriety for the donors and recipients alike. But he also notes that a democratic society must never be expected to take massive gifts on faith. He urged that even a "grain of danger" should be weeded out if it carries with it the potential for the bias and special interest. This edition is graced by a fine essay that gives a deep background to the life and work of Jesse Brundage Sears. It covers his origins in rural Missouri, his move to Stanford University and work for Ellwood P. Cubberly, and his later work on the history of philanthropy. For individuals interested in the history of education, the structure of financing higher education, and the data on which social policy has been made, this will be indispensable reading. Roger L. Geiger, author of the recently published work, To Advance Knowledge: The Growth of American Research Universities, 1900-1940 and other works in education at The Pennsylvania State University. This volume is the twelfth volume in the Transaction Studies in Philanthropy and Society edited by Richard Magat of The Foundation Center.

In an era of declining state support for colleges and universities, the role of private philanthropy in helping to shape the future direction of higher education has become even more crucial and significant than in the past. Knowing about philanthropy’s historic influence on higher education and what philanthropy currently prioritizes is now virtually a prerequisite for presidents and academic leaders in both public and private institutions. This book discusses the complex relationship of philanthropy to higher education both in historic perspective and in the present. It is not a primer on how to write a successful grant. Rather, it provides a road map for understanding philanthropy’s influence on American higher education. It will be of interest to academic leaders, advancement professionals, students of higher education and philanthropy, and others concerned with the future of colleges and universities.

In The Kindness of Strangers, Deni Elliott examines ethically questionable situations that have arisen in response to institutional dependency on external benefactors. Major concerns analyzed include: the increased professionalism of fundraising and of donating; an increased willingness of institutions to cater to the demands of donors; creation of dual roles for faculty, students, and staff when they are fundraisers and donors in addition to playing their primary roles in higher education; business-university research partnerships that put business values in conflict with academic values; the commercialization of student athletics; and endowment use and investment. Book jacket.