Donations are one of the key components that fuel any university. At this university and others, officials work tirelessly to cultivate a relationship with students that lasts long after they walk across the graduation stage. Through keychains and sweatshirts — even the fancy diploma that hangs in the homes and offices of countless alumni — university officials are trying their damnedest to make you remember the good times long after they’re gone. Being a “Terp for life” isn’t just about taking pride in your alma mater, it’s also about keeping your wallet open after your final tuition bill.
But with fundraising expectations declining at this university as well as at the 14 other institutions that make up the University System of Maryland, the Board of Regents is embarking on a journey into cyberspace to secure donations from young alumni. Social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, are the new frontier for the aging board.
Members of the board have demonstrated skepticism and even apparent nervousness when it comes to our generation’s new form of media. Regent Tom McMillen warned that the board would “almost be speaking in Martian” to young donors if it didn’t master the art of “Tweeting.”
Although new forms of social media should be explored by the regents to establish bonds that result in donations that help maintain a university, the real strategy is much simpler. The Regents should focus less on reaching young alumni via Facebook or Twitter and focus more on ensuring that undergraduates have a quality and worthwhile experience that makes them want to give back.
More often than not, students feel left out of the conversation or ignored by officials. They have complaints about the university that go unheard. If the board wants to engage students and young alumni, they should use these social media forums to encourage them to give in the form of feedback. They should be open to suggestions and criticisms, and they should learn to use social networking as a way to learn what students’ experiences are like and how they can make them better.
Donors are not people who leave this university with a sour taste in their mouths; they are individuals who feel they received a college experience unlike any other and hope that whatever contribution they can make will ensure that their kids and others can have the same.
College is no easy expense. And to keep graduates giving isn’t easy when there is no tangible reward such as a degree waiting for them. Although some answers do lie in establishing bonds through the world of social media, the board shouldn’t dive into such an unfamiliar field so quickly without considering the areas they could improve now.
The university system may be massive and include thousands of students, but where students feel left out is where true bonds that are far more significant that a status update on Facebook could be formed. By quelling areas of discontent or even just opening the door to hear the complaints students may have, the regents would be able to truly forge the bonds that make students “Terps for life.”
People don’t give away money for nothing, especially recent graduates in this economy. But if young alumni feel their donated dollars can truly improve the college experience for their friends and family, they might just open their wallets a bit sooner — even if the reward isn’t something they can hang on their wall.
