Fundraising 'left alone,' most likely
Faculty, administration expect little impact from 44th president
Marieke van der Vaart
Issue date: 1/29/09 Section: Beyond
Members of Hillsdale College's faculty and administration expect little direct impact from the 44th President of the United States' term, although Dean of Social Sciences Mickey Craig said President Barack Obama's policies may affect the college's fundraising and admissions over the next four years.
"By and large, I expect we'll be left alone," he said.
This doesn't mean, Craig said, that the college won't be affected. He said he expects Obama's policies will indirectly increase fundraising and simultaneously complicate the college's recruitment process.
"What's bad for the country," the late college president, George Roche, once said, "is good for Hillsdale."
Provost Bob Blackstock says he also expects Hillsdale's fundraising will increase under Obama's term.
"Hillsdale is seen by many as a symbol of freedom and a guardian of the ideas of freedom," Blackstock said, "and when those ideas are seen to be under attack, then it's not unusual for our friends and supporters around the country to rally to our support."
Vice President for Institutional Advancement John Cervini is not so sure about the link between the fundraising and the White House. A 30-year veteran of Hillsdale's fundraising department, Cervini has seen administrations come and go, and he said Obama's presidency probably won't affect fundraising very much.
Even if there was a link between a Democrat in the White House and an increase in donations to Hillsdale, Cervini said it would be almost impossible to tell from fundraising numbers. Support for the school is not only measured in dollars, but also in trusts and donations given to the school for building projects or scholarships, sometime as part of patrons' wills. This complicates the process of finding causal links between the presidency and financial campaigns, he said.
"I don't lose sleep over the White House," he said. "If you stand for something, [people are] going to support you."
Cervini said because many donors are politically active, they are "bombarded by solicitations" during elections, meaning their limited discretionary funds will generally be channeled away from the college.
Apart from fundraising, Craig expects the next four years to be harder for the admissions department. He expects the presidential administration to prioritize affordable higher education, making Hillsdale's recruitment that much more difficult.
"In the sense that you do have a very liberal Congress - it's likely that federal spending for higher education will increase, and will make it harder to recruit students," he said. "There'll be money from the government and more of it for merit scholars, athletes, whoever."
At the end of the day, however, Craig and the rest of the administration hope everything will go on as normal.
"Hopefully," said Craig, "we'll be left alone."
"By and large, I expect we'll be left alone," he said.
This doesn't mean, Craig said, that the college won't be affected. He said he expects Obama's policies will indirectly increase fundraising and simultaneously complicate the college's recruitment process.
"What's bad for the country," the late college president, George Roche, once said, "is good for Hillsdale."
Provost Bob Blackstock says he also expects Hillsdale's fundraising will increase under Obama's term.
"Hillsdale is seen by many as a symbol of freedom and a guardian of the ideas of freedom," Blackstock said, "and when those ideas are seen to be under attack, then it's not unusual for our friends and supporters around the country to rally to our support."
Vice President for Institutional Advancement John Cervini is not so sure about the link between the fundraising and the White House. A 30-year veteran of Hillsdale's fundraising department, Cervini has seen administrations come and go, and he said Obama's presidency probably won't affect fundraising very much.
Even if there was a link between a Democrat in the White House and an increase in donations to Hillsdale, Cervini said it would be almost impossible to tell from fundraising numbers. Support for the school is not only measured in dollars, but also in trusts and donations given to the school for building projects or scholarships, sometime as part of patrons' wills. This complicates the process of finding causal links between the presidency and financial campaigns, he said.
"I don't lose sleep over the White House," he said. "If you stand for something, [people are] going to support you."
Cervini said because many donors are politically active, they are "bombarded by solicitations" during elections, meaning their limited discretionary funds will generally be channeled away from the college.
Apart from fundraising, Craig expects the next four years to be harder for the admissions department. He expects the presidential administration to prioritize affordable higher education, making Hillsdale's recruitment that much more difficult.
"In the sense that you do have a very liberal Congress - it's likely that federal spending for higher education will increase, and will make it harder to recruit students," he said. "There'll be money from the government and more of it for merit scholars, athletes, whoever."
At the end of the day, however, Craig and the rest of the administration hope everything will go on as normal.
"Hopefully," said Craig, "we'll be left alone."
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