Steering Committee Raises Campaign Goal to $1 Billion

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Campaign for the Twenty-First Century Steering Committee — the volunteer leadership group of the University of Arkansas’ historic fund-raising effort — today voted to raise the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century goal to $1 billion while keeping the original deadline and concluding the drive by June 30, 2005.

UA Chancellor John A. White said: “This is an historic occasion for the University of Arkansas and the entire State of Arkansas. I am very excited that the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century Steering Committee voted to raise the bar for us one more time in an effort to maximize the potential for the Campaign’s impact on the University of Arkansas. We join the ranks of other prestigious institutions in the nation who are engaged in $1 billion campaigns. It’s an entirely possible goal — and won’t it be wonderful when we achieve it?

“Today is about celebrating the Campaign’s success thus far,” White said. “It took many, many gifts to get us to $904 million dollars and we are grateful to everyone for every single gift — and there have been more than 281,000 of them in the past seven years. Today’s announcement is a reflection of the tremendous support we have received, and will continue to receive, over the next 2 1#2 months. It will take everyone pulling in the same direction to get us there and we’re going to do it and show everyone that we’re a nationally competitive, student-centered research university serving Arkansas and the world.”

White continued: “There are still many unmet needs across the University of Arkansas campus. There’s a huge demand for need-based scholarship support; we have needs for more and enhanced academic programs.  The list goes on and on and we believe that a billion dollar campaign will help address those needs.”

Vice Chancellor for University Advancement G. David Gearhart said: “The Steering Committee is definitely feeling the momentum from Tuesday’s announcement of the Hunts’ gift taking us up to and over the $900 million goal. We have been discussing the possibility of moving toward $1 billion for some time and feel confident that the goal is within striking range. We have many proposals in front of potential benefactors right now and are optimistic about the outcomes. That combined with a few recent verbal commitments have given the Steering Committee the confidence to go to this next level and strive for a billion. There’s still a lot of work to be done in this campaign, but we can do it.

“This decision is a testament to the fine work of our volunteers and benefactors.  It’s also a recognition of the effort of our faculty and staff, and of the wonderful abilities of Clay and Sandy Edwards in leading the development staff.  Our deans are also integral to building the confidence it takes to move forward in this decisive way.”

Billion-Dollar Campaigns

      The $1 billion goal set for the Campaign for the Twenty-First Century puts the University of Arkansas among the 25 American institutions currently seeking to raise $1 billion or more. The only other institutions in the Southeastern Conference in active campaigns to raise $1 billion are University of Kentucky and Vanderbilt University. University of Texas completed a $1 billion campaign in 2004. 

Campaign for the Twenty-First Century Update

• Campaign for the Twenty-First Century goal: $1 billion
• Start date: July 1, 1998
• End date: June 30, 2005
• The Campaign total — counts all gifts and pledges to academic and athletic purposes: $904 million; 90 percent of the goal in 97 percent of the time
• The $300 Million Challenge — counts all gifts and pledges to academic purposes between Jan. 1, 2002, and June 30, 2005: $282 million

Campaign for the Twenty-First Century Impact

• 132 endowed positions — professorships and chairs
• 1,679 scholarship and fellowship support funds
• Campus building boom:

o Constructed: Pat Walker Health Center, Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium, Bev Lewis Center for Women’s Athletics, Randal Tyson Track Center, Fred W. and Mary B. Smith Golf Center
o Under way or breaking ground soon: Willard J. Walker Graduate Business Building, Anthony Chapel at Garvan Gardens, School of Law expansion and addition, Center for Academic Excellence, Sigma Nu house
o Renovations: Classrooms throughout campus, Chi Omega Greek Theater, University House, Sigma Alpha Epsilon house

• 40,000 new individual donors
• Endowment holdings increased from $119 million in 1997 to nearly $650 million today