5.2.c Control of fund-raising activities

The chief executive officer has ultimate responsibility for and exercises appropriate control over the institution’s fund-raising activities.

Judgment

x Compliance o Non-Compliance o Partial Compliance

Narrative

The President of UL Lafayette has ultimate oversight and authority over fundraising activities conducted on behalf of the University. His authority is embedded in the UL System Bylaws and Rules, Section III-2, which includes, in the list of the President’s role and responsibilities, the following:

14. Development of an effective community relations program including, but not limited to, developing ongoing relationships with alumni and building the university’s endowment. (Addition approved 8/27/99)

15. Providing effective leadership in efforts to secure various sources of funding for the university.

Additional documents confirming the President’s authority include the University’s Fundraising Policies and Guidelines (revised 12-09-2009), the UL Lafayette Foundation Affiliation Agreement (2004, 2018), and the Guidelines for Naming Opportunities. As appropriate, these policies are posted on the University Policy, University Advancement, and UL Lafayette Foundation websites.

The University’s Fundraising Policies and Guidelines document provides direction for fundraising activities that support the University. The administrative office with primary responsibility for fundraising is the Office of Development, within the University Advancement Division. University Advancement is led by the Vice President of University Advancement, who is appointed by and reports directly to the President. According to the Fundraising Policies and Guidelines, the charge of the University Advancement team is to strengthen the University by enhancing its image, keeping alumni involved, raising money, recruiting students, and encouraging supportive relationships with government officials and agencies.

Within the Fundraising Policies and Guidelines, the President delegates to the Vice President for University Advancement the authority to organize all fundraising and solicitation activities to ensure consistency with the University’s mission, and coordination of those activities among all affiliated fundraising organizations. This policy is restated in the Affiliation Agreement between the University and the UL Lafayette Foundation. The primary goals of this policy are to ensure collaboration within the University when working with potential major donors, and to ensure that the well-being of the institution as a whole is always central to fundraising activities. This collaboration reflects the control of the University’s President, who is directly engaged in and monitors fundraising activities in multiple ways, including:

· Conducts bi-weekly meetings with the Vice President for Advancement to monitor annual and capital campaign goals

· Serves as an ex-officio voting member of the UL Lafayette Foundation Board of Trustees, and is a member of the UL Lafayette Foundation Real Estate Committee

· Attends and personally thanks guests during the UL Lafayette Foundation’s annual Distinguished Donor Dinner, which honors both annual and lifetime giving society members

o Distinguished Donor Invite

o Distinguished Donor Program

· Hosts cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship events with major donors and prospects

o Blanco Legacy Gala Invite

o Blanco Legacy Gala Program

o Photo with Dr. Savoie

o Cocktails and Conversation D.C. 2018

o Dr. Savoie speaking at Blanco Legacy Event

o Dr. Savoie with Governor Blanco

o Outstanding Alumni Reception

· Provides leadership in athletic fundraising initiatives and engages with major gift prospects in the President’s box during sporting events. During the University’s preparations for its first comprehensive capital campaign in 2020, Development staff have worked with the President to identify and compile the current fundraising priorities of the University into a campaign-planning document. Additional supporting materials showing that the University has aligned all fundraising activities at UL Lafayette to support the President’s institutional priorities include:

· Foundation Giving Funds—Areas of Support

· Foundation Giving Website—Give Now

· Foundation Annual Report 2013-2014

· Foundation Report on Philanthropy 2013

· Annual Fund Appeals

· Major Gift Proposals

· Major Gift Donor Gift Agreements

· Development Business Plan FY 2017

· Development Business Plan FY 2018

Fundraising staff in the University Advancement Division report to the Executive Director of Development, who reports directly to the Vice President for University Advancement.

In 2017, to further strengthen fundraising efforts as the University prepared for its first comprehensive capital campaign, the UL Lafayette Foundation Board of Trustees created an ad hoc committee to advise the Board on a proposed change in the Foundation’s leadership structure, whereby the UL Lafayette Vice President for University Advancement would have dual appointment as the UL Lafayette Foundation Chief Executive Officer. The proposal was approved on May 16, 2018, and the dual appointment was confirmed effective June 15, 2018. The employment contracts for the dual appointment are in legal review. The Affiliation Agreement (2004, 2018) between the University and the UL Lafayette Foundation provides additional evidence of the relationship between the University President and the UL Lafayette Foundation, and documents that the University President retains significant influence over and control of Foundation fundraising activities, Board of Trustee appointments, and the disbursement of Foundation funds.

The University’s President, as the institution’s chief executive officer, has oversight and control of all fundraising activities at the University, as delineated in the President’s job description, University Policy, UL Lafayette Foundation Bylaws and related procedures, and as evidenced through documented practice.