Donations to VSU surpass $2.8 million

Total private support of Valdosta State University in 1999 topped $2.8 million.

This support continues to help the university meet its academic and institutional objectives, said Ray Devery, vice president for Institutional Advancement, director of development and executive vice president of the VSU Foundation, Inc.

Private support encompasses gifts of property, cash, stocks and other assets, and is handled through the VSU Foundation, Devery said.

"This was a good year for us with 11,000 gifts," Devery said. "We are always looking to increase private support of our efforts."

Within the $2.8 million total, approximately $548,660 was raised through the Annual Fund, said Karen Cochran, director of Annual Giving. Meanwhile, approximately $109,793 was raised through the Faculty and Staff Campaign, Cochran said.

VSU faculty and staff are monetarily supporting university programs at record levels, Cochran said. The recent Faculty and Staff Campaign's participation rate jumped to 48.4 percent�an increase from 46.43 percent the previous year, Cochran said.

"The majority of faculty and staff contributions went to scholarships, athletics, the arts, similar programs and department discretionary accounts," Cochran said.

"Faculty and staff giving is critical to our success as an institution," Devery said. "This financial support we receive allows us to bring our students the very best in educational opportunities."

"Increasingly, institutions have to attract private resources if they are to provide programs and scholarships essential for their students," said Dr. Hugh C. Bailey, VSU president. "We are very fortunate that our Annual Fund attracts resources for our students and our institution."