University Campaign closes at $734,933

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Central Michigan University’s Annual University Campaign has amassed its greatest total ever at $734,933, breaking the $700,000 goal.

“We had an outstanding campaign this year,” said Bryan Griffin, director of annual giving. “This was the highest total ever for the AUC.”

The campaign ran from Oct. 13 to Dec. 5, and raised funds for the university through donations from faculty, staff and CMU retirees.

The program is nearly a decade old and allows donors to dictate which department their money goes to. In addition to the funds collected during the campaign, CMU will match $1 for every $2 donated.

Along with raising the highest total this year, the campaign had more donors than in recent years, Griffin said. In 2007, the AUC raised $680,000.

“We had 952 donors give, which is the second highest total ever for the campaign,” he said.

Nel Boose, a 2008 co-chair and budget specialist for the College of Education and Human Services, said the campaign is a vital part of funding for CMU.

“It is important to have a campaign like the AUC because it helps fund the colleges and departments at CMU,” she said.

The various university colleges and departments cannot be supported with general operating funds alone, so donor funds are greatly needed, Boose said.

The AUC also assisted with getting funding for new facilities, such as the Education and Human Services Building currently under construction, and the planned 2010 renovation of the Bovee University Center.

“Parts of the university need extra funds, whether it’s programs, colleges or departments,” said Karen Hutslar, a 2008 co-chair and registrar. “It’s very important to be able to benefit the university as much as possible.”

university@cm-life.com