Correction appended.
The Campaign for Academic Enrichment — the largest fundraising initiative in University history — officially came to a close Dec. 31, surpassing its goal by over $200 million.
President Ruth Simmons officially established the campaign in October 2005 to fund the priorities set forth in the Plan for Academic Enrichment, which include the hiring of new faculty, expansion of financial aid and improvement and construction of campus facilities. The campaign raised a total of $1.61 billion, more than any previous University fundraising initiative, though Simmons said previous campaigns were not lacking in ambition but rather perceived need.
"We certainly haven't raised anywhere near this sum of money before, but that is the consequence of many factors," Simmons said. "It was a much bigger campaign because we have much bigger needs today than we've had previously."
The University will remain committed to carrying out elements of the plan — first introduced in 2002 — despite the conclusion of the campaign.
Over 69,000 people committed to the campaign, said Senior Vice President for University Advancement Steven King '91, adding that this number was "a big testament to the leadership of the institution and the amazing things that go on on campus." King replaced Ronald Vanden Dorpel MA'71, who spearheaded the campaign as the previous head of advancement until he retired July 1. Under Vanden Dorpel's leadership, the campaign reached its goal of $1.4 billion in May 2009, 19 months before it was slated to end.
Simmons said she was pleased with the number of donors that contributed to the campaign, adding that their support validates the administration's efforts.
"The ideas behind the campaign were far more important than the actual fundraising," Simmons said. "The test of the campaign was to see whether or not our supporters would understand and endorse the things we're trying to do for Brown."
Although the campaign is over, both Simmons and King said that the University is now better positioned to raise funds in the future.
"When I came to Brown, none of this structure was in place," Simmons said. "We didn't have a planning process or the infrastructure for advanced fundraising."
"All of those issues have been resolved, and we are entering a normal phase where every year we will continue to raise money at a significant level," she added.
The Corporation recently established a committee to develop new fundraising strategies for the University, King said.
The committee on development will oversee policy-making and reflect on what worked during the campaign to ensure continued fundraising success, he said.
Simmons said that beyond supporting the Plan for Academic Enrichment, the campaign also allowed for a "broader spectrum of engagement with alumni."
"One of our goals was to establish relationships with alumni and others," Simmons said. "After a campaign, you know your donors better, you know where they are, and you know what they think."
King also said that the campaign was about more than simply raising funds for the University.
"The campaign was really about engagement and getting more people involved and connected," he said.
The Annual Fund, which supports the annual operating budget, also saw its fundraising haul increase during the campaign. The fund raised $573 million throughout the course of the campaign, including a record $36 million raised in the fiscal year that ended in June.
The Annual Fund's goal for the current fiscal year is $36.5 million, King said.
Thoughts on the Campaign's completion? E-mail Letters@BrownDailyHerald.com.
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the Brown Annual Fund raised $573 million throughout the course of the Campaign for Academic Enrichment. This figure refers to the total amount of current-use funds raised during the campaign. The Annual Fund raised $247.9 million during the campaign. The Herald regrets the error.
