With more than 90 percent of its original $1 billion goal already met, Campaign Northwestern will set its sights higher — $400 million higher, administrators announced Wednesday.
The universitywide campaign — which continues through August 2003 — has raised $902.9 million to date. The goal was raised to $1.4 billion both to maintain the initiative’s momentum and to fund building projects, said Ronald Vanden Dorpel, vice president for university development.
“You want to continue the momentum and set a goal that will continue to challenge you to raise the level and volume of money that you’ve been raising in the last couple of years,” Vanden Dorpel said.
At the same time, he said, the goal was raised to fund specific construction projects.
“The increased goal was based on sound analysis of what unmet needs needed to be funded more than just saying, ‘We need to keep our momentum going, so we need to pick a number X amount higher,'” Vanden Dorpel said.
Among the projects the additional funds would help build are the $200 million Robert H. Lurie Medical Research Center, two new residence halls and major renovations to Norris University Center. Other construction projects to be funded include an indoor tennis center, a nanofabrication center and a new life sciences building.
Of the original $1 billion goal, administrators have raised $209 million toward a goal of $262 million for facilities. But with three new science buildings alone due to cost $300 million, Vanden Dorpel said more funding was necessary.
“Here we were, halfway through the timeline of the campaign, and while we were doing pretty well on facilities, some of those facilities had increased in scope and become more expensive,” he said. “We just knew we had additional dollars that had to be raised.”
Administrators are still developing new target amounts for each of three fund-raising categories: endowment, facilities and annual operating support. But Vanden Dorpel said the “biggest chunk” of the additional funds will go to facilities.
Campaign officials also announced that University Trustee Thomas Hayward Jr. has been named co-chairman of the campaign, joining Donald S. Perkins. Hayward previously served as vice chairman.
Al Cubbage, vice president for university relations, said donors’ generosity has exceeded initial expectations.
He said volunteers and the campaign staff have done an especially good job of attracting donors. One of the best fund-raisers, he said, has been University President Henry Bienen.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize how good President Bienen is at raising money,” he said. “He is quite willing to do it. He enjoys going out and talking to alums and asking for their support.”
Campaign Northwestern was announced publicly in May 1998 with $456.5 million already pledged.
Vanden Dorpel, who has worked on major capital campaigns at two other universities, said raising the target was always a possibility.
“It’s always in the back of one’s mind that if all of the factors are in alignment — you’re doing particularly well, the economy is good, people are responding to the institution’s needs and requirements — that sure, you’ll want to consider raising the goal,” he said. “That’s a good thing to have happen, as opposed to struggling and just barely getting through.”
