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Conversations with Kent Fuchs
FELLOW GATORS,
THIS IS A TIME OF WONDERFUL PROMISE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA.
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After many years of focused work and a keen sense of purpose, we have officially joined the ranks of the nation’s top 10 public universities — and we’re off and running on the most ambitious fundraising campaign in UF’s history, one that will propel our ascent even higher.
As many of you are aware, U.S. News & World Report in September ranked UF ninth among public universities in its 2018 Best College rankings, a historic first. A month later, we publicly launched the Go Greater campaign to raise $3 billion for UF.
We raised more than $1.3 billion during the campaign’s “silent phase,” and I’m confident we will reach and eclipse our $3 billion goal, making UF even more exceptional. But we need your help.
First, UF alumni and friends have been increasingly generous, particularly since 2013, when the university began its preeminence effort to achieve top 10 status. In that fiscal year, we received $271 million in gifts and commitments. Gifts and commitments for one year had grown to $449 million by 2017. I am grateful to everyone who has been a part of that spectacular and sustained surge in support for UF.
Second, as gifts and commitments continue to rise, so, too, their positive impact. As the articles in this issue of the Florida GATOR make clear, the Go Greater campaign will grow our superb faculty, support our excellent students and advance our path-breaking research in ways that are simply not possible otherwise. This is especially important to college deans and department chairs as they gain the tools to realize their visions.
Third, your participation is critical — not just for the success of the campaign but also for future U.S. News rankings.
U.S. News bases its annual rankings on seven overarching educational quality factors, including the percentage of alumni who give to the university.
On that factor, our numbers are in decline. From a peak of 16 percent, our average giving has recently dropped to 12 percent, according to the U.S. News rankings. Many other higher-ranked universities have higher average giving rates, including the University of Virginia, where 21 percent of alumni contributed; the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 18 percent; and the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, 16 percent.
Simply put, the more alumni who give to UF (no matter the amount), the more we can influence our annual U.S. News ranking. Thank you to
everyone who is already giving back to their alma mater, and I hope you will encourage all the Gators in your circle to follow suit.
UF is on a remarkable trajectory. Since 2012, we have advanced further and faster in the U.S. News rankings than any other leading public university. Our ambitious Go Greater campaign is now in full swing and with the unflagging support of Florida lawmakers, our total revenue — that’s tuition and state appropriations combined — is climbing, unlike the case for many of our peers. All of this will give our university faculty and leaders exceptional new tools to achieve their ambitions.
Having reached top 10, I’m convinced UF can achieve top five.
Thank you for being a part of our ascent. It is great to be a Florida Gator.
Kent Fuchs*
President University of Florida
ERIC ZAMORA
