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Introduction

In 1998 historian William Cronon wrote an essay, “Only Connect …," in which he lists the following 10 characteristics of the liberally educated: “They listen and they hear; they read and they understand; they can talk with anyone; they can write clearly and persuasively and movingly; they can solve a wide variety of puzzles and problems; they respect rigor not so much for its own sake but as a way of seeking truth; they practice humility, tolerance and self-criticism; they understand how to get things done in the world; they nurture and empower the people around them; they see connections that allow one to make sense of the world and act within it in creative ways.” Our world needs as many liberally educated citizens as possible, and a DePauw education has never been more relevant.

But private liberal arts education is an expensive endeavor. As a residential college with a 10:1 student-to-faculty ratio, a DePauw education is labor-intensive. At the same time, the competitive market for the most talented students is fierce. We are entering a drastically reduced market of college-bound students as demographic trends indicate. Among this significantly reduced group of high school graduates, only 6 percent will choose a liberal arts college. Simultaneously, more and more families are feeling economic pains as our national economy progresses through a cycle of contraction. Financial access to a DePauw education, therefore, must remain as open and available as possible.

Similarly, the competitive market for top-notch teacher-scholars is intense. Liberal arts colleges like DePauw now regularly offer incentive packages to faculty members in order to compete with the wealthiest liberal arts colleges, most of which offer smaller teaching loads, have no Winter Term program, and have smaller student bodies. In addition to competitive base salaries and faculty development opportunities, DePauw offers its new professors funds to start laboratories, to continue research programs and other financial incentives. This enterprise is costly and will grow more so over time, but the quality of a DePauw education is directly related to the strength of the faculty. We invest significantly in our faculty members as teachers and scholars, and entrust them with the cultivation of our students’ intellectual lives.

DePauw’s commitment to building a diverse student body and faculty is as important today as it has been throughout our history. In recent years, we have made great strides in recruiting to DePauw students and faculty members from both the United States and around the world who are traditionally under-represented at highly selective liberal arts colleges. At DePauw, 27 percent of this year’s entering class is from a multicultural or international family. While many of our peer institutions claim diverse campus communities, DePauw can justifiably be proud of its leadership position nationally. Among our 238 full-time faculty members, 99 have multicultural or international background – much different than even 10 years ago.

We remain committed to the longstanding DePauw tradition of being a national leader in the percentage of students who learn and study internationally. But, travel costs alone have skyrocketed recently. The programs to which we send our students also have jumped significantly in price, and given that the University underwrites our students’ experiences internationally, budget dollars will stretch only so far. Without an infusion of resources, it will be difficult to ensure access for all to this important part of the DePauw experience.

The top fundraising priority for DePauw in 2008-09 is to achieve continued aggressive growth of the Annual Fund. DePauw’s Annual Fund provides critical operating budget support, and gifts to the Annual Fund are used immediately by the University to fund the DePauw experience.

Tuition paid by our 2,300 students covers less than 50 percent of the cost of a DePauw education. The gap is closed by earnings from the endowment and gifts to the Annual Fund. The Annual Fund is even more critical when many investment portfolios – including DePauw’s endowment – are returning less than in recent years.

The 2008-09 goal is $6,076,000, a 5 percent increase over the 2007-08 result. Six million dollars in unrestricted operating support is equivalent to the income produced by $120 million in endowment. Annual Fund dollars are the most flexible dollars we raise, because they can be used where the University’s needs are greatest. The greatest needs right now are for scholarship and faculty support, and support for ensuring that the DePauw community accurately reflects our global world.

Annual Fund Recognition Circles

Trustee Associates Circle...........	$40,000+
East College Circle.....................	$25,000 - $39,999
President's Circle........................	$12,500 - $24,999
Old Gold Circle............................	$5,000 - $12,499
Charter Circle.............................	$1,500 - $4,999
Founders Circle..........................	$500 - $1,499
Patrons Circle.............................	$250 - $499
Builders Circle.............................	$100 - $249
Contributors Circle.....................	$1 - $99

With Annual Fund gifts at the following gift levels, name-bearing opportunities of support can be designated for scholarships and faculty support as follows:

Student Scholarships

Full-time scholarship...............	$32,000
Half-time scholarship..............	$16,000
Named scholarship.................	$5,000

Faculty Support

Named faculty fellowship........

$12,500

Students and Faculty Members
Who Have Benefited from the Annual Fund

“DePauw has really helped to facilitate my growth as a student, and to better prepare me for success with my future goals. Without my scholarship, I would not have been able to attend the University.” -Gleason O. Wilson '10 Warsaw, Ind.

“In India, I feel like I would have been directed into career paths such as engineering or medicine. Here, I can take full advantage of a liberal arts degree by experimenting with different subjects and areas of study. I could not have wished for a better or more intellectually fulfilling college experience.” -Shashi Kiran '11 Jamshedpur, India

“At DePauw, we are indeed fortunate to have generous help with our scholarly activity. As our research agendas are realized, our teaching is enhanced, and the inspiration of our own learning ignites the intellectual curiosity of our students.” -Linda L. Elman Associate Professor of Modern Language (Spanish) Barbara E. Smith Faculty Fellowship

“I know I speak on behalf of all students who receive and rely on their financial aid packages in order to continue their educational experiences at DePauw. It is only because of your generous donations that we are able to have these experiences and continue in our quest of knowledge.” -Alexandra C. Conner '10 Indianapolis, Ind.

The Importance of Gifts and Commitments
to the Endowment

DePauw’s endowment allows the most important aspects of the DePauw experience to be forever part of the University through funding that lasts in perpetuity. Endowed funds ensure that our priorities – attracting and retaining the very best students and faculty members – are secure into the future.

Each endowed scholarship and faculty support fund also relieves pressure on the University’s operating budget. Endowed funds are invested as part of the University’s overall endowment, and their annual earnings replace part or all of the University’s own resources being invested in those same priorities.

Students and Faculty Members Speak On Behalf of Support From Endowed Funds

“I’ve been able to attend a University where I can have close interaction with my professors and peers in small classes. The financial support I received from DePauw and its alumni was a major factor in my decision to come to DePauw. I truly believe that the support of alumni plays an important role in maintaining academic excellence at DePauw.”
-Emily R. Kemple '11
Rushville, Ind.

"Alumni are integral to the DePauw experience, and always a joy to encounter. Without their generous support and abiding love of the school, DePauw would not today boast of the excellent faculty morale it enjoys."
-Mac R. Dixon-Fyle
A.W. Crandall Professor of History

“I felt people at DePauw treated me as though they really believed I could significantly contribute, both academically and through extracurricular activities. Although I applied and was accepted to nine other equally prestigious universities around the country, I felt DePauw provided the most opportunities for scholarships and financial aid.”
-Ka’Lena Cuevas '10
Pearl City, Hawaii

 

Funding Priorities for Named Endowment Opportunities

Endowed Scholarships

Full-Tuition Scholarship..............	$600,000
Half-Tuition Scholarship.............	$300,000
Merit or Need-Based Award.......	$100,000

 

International Experience Funds

Study Abroad Scholarships, two semesters.......	$600,000
Study Abroad Scholarships, one semester.........	$300,000
Winter Term Scholarship....................................	$100,000
International Faculty Transition Fund.................	$100,000

 

University Professorships ($1,500,000)

University Professorships are awarded to selected faculty members in recognition of sustained excellence in teaching effectiveness, professional activity and service to the University. The individuals selected to fill University Professorships receive annual stipends, salary supplements, reassigned time and financial resources with which to pursue enhancement of their teaching and scholarship over a four-year period.

A committee appointed by the president and comprised of senior faculty members who have been honored as recipients of the Tucker Award nominates candidates for University Professorships and forwards those nominations to the vice president for academic affairs. Nominees are selected from the ranks of associate or full professors and may come from any school or department of the University. The vice president for academic affairs recommends the recipients to the president of the University, who awards the professorships.

Anonymous matching funds are available for University Professorships for gifts of $750,000 to reach the required funding level of $1.5 million. The University is actively seeking University Professorships in the departments of Education Studies, English and History.

Endowed Faculty Chairs ($1,000,000)

Endowed faculty chairs provide recognition and support for current faculty members whose teaching and contributions to the profession are exemplary. A faculty member honored by the selection to hold an endowed faculty chair may retain the title for five years, and more recent awards have included salary supplements.

Nominees are selected from the ranks of associate or full professors and may come from any school or department of the University. The vice president for academic affairs recommends the recipients to the president of the University, who awards each chair.

Faculty Support Fund ($500,000)

Faculty Support Funds recognize outstanding teaching and a demonstrated commitment to the value of a liberal arts education by junior faculty members in tenure track positions. This honorary award provides funds that are directly used to maintain faculty compensation at a competitive level to ensure that DePauw continues to attract the best possible junior faculty members who desire to teach at DePauw in a tenure track position. This award is for a three-year term.

Fund for Excellence in Science Faculty ($500,000)

Aimed at attracting and retaining the best possible science faculty members, this fund provides the necessary resources for DePauw to attract and hire new members of its science faculty, while retaining other talented members of the science faculty. Funds will be directly used to provide start-up equipment and supplemental compensation to remain competitive with our peer institutions. Each fund will provide resources for two faculty positions.

Faculty Fellowships ($300,000)

Faculty Fellowships stimulate and facilitate faculty projects to improve teaching, advance scholarship and encourage creative work to enhance the University’s academic programs and realize institutional goals. Thirty-six Faculty Fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis for three-year terms. Fellows receive a substantial annual stipend in addition to their base salary, reassigned time and resources to accomplish approved projects.

Faculty Fellowships are awarded to faculty members whose proposed projects are recommended by the Faculty Development Committee. Faculty members apply by preparing proposals for the committee describing new courses they would like to develop, plans for incorporating technology into the classroom, reorganization of syllabi to provide more active involvement in learning, and other strategies to improve instruction. Those selected receive an annual stipend in addition to their base salary. The vice president for academic affairs makes the awards.

Teaching Timeouts ($150,000)

These name-bearing timeout awards are awarded to faculty members on a competitive basis to provide reassigned time, with a primary goal being scholarly activity or new course development, further enriching intellectual life at DePauw. These awards are for one academic year.

Faculty-Student Collaborative Research Award ($125,000)

A hallmark of the DePauw experience has always been a close interaction between faculty members and students. With today’s premium on hands-on experience as a vital part of the educational process, faculty-student collaborative research awards facilitate this opportunity. Funds generated from these endowed funds will support and supplement the costs of approved collaborative research projects between our faculty members and students. Supported costs may include materials and equipment, travel, student lodging and meals — if during the summer — or any related cost as deemed appropriate by the vice president for academic affairs.

Summer Stipends for Scholarship, Course Development or Creative Projects ($50,000)

The DePauw faculty is a teaching faculty, first and foremost. These endowed funds provide resources, during the summer, for faculty members to develop new courses, attend educational seminars and work on articles and publications in their respective fields. Stimulating a love of learning and providing faculty members an opportunity to stand back and “recharge their batteries” outside the classroom is of vital long-term interest to the University. All summer stipend awards must be applied for, and awarded through, the vice president for academic affairs.

Conclusion

The impact of DePauw University on the world, past and present, is disproportionate to the number of students we graduate each year. This enlarged footprint of accomplishment can be traced directly to the quality of the academic experience and the opportunity for personal growth so abundant on and off our campus. Our historic strengths of a highly regarded teaching faculty and bright, engaged students continue today as DePauw remains unwavering in its commitment to the liberal arts.

The essence of a private liberal arts college is that it not only prepares individuals, so well defined by William Cronon, but it also exists due to those who came before us and that which they have made possible today.