In December 2005, alumni and friends of Penn State donated $44.4 million. Sounds like a lot, right? This past December, those alumni and friends donated over $58 million, setting a new fundraising record (in a single month) for Penn State.
President Spanier had the following comment, according to Penn State Live: "Our donors continue their loyalty to Penn State, and we are most grateful to each of them for their exceedingly generous support, which is essential to the University's future."
Of the December total, 31,000 donors gave over 37,000 gifts. Eleven of these gifts surpassed $1 million.
Penn State hopes that this new record will fit into an upcoming crescendo of gift-giving, culminating in the "For the Future" campaign, a fundraising initiative beginning on April 23, 2010. The campaign emphasizes education affordability for students of modest means.
Will the recession impact this year's donations? Slim personal budgets may cause donors to purchase necessities rather than partake in philanthropy. However, let's hope our wonderful alumni choose to give back to dear old State.
A question that always leads to some interesting debates.
Do executive officers of organizations deserve the amount of money that they receive every year?
On Wednesday, the Collegian reported that Penn State President Graham Spanier was ranked 6th nationally among public university presidents in terms of annual base salary for the 2008-2009 fiscal year. In total pay compensation Spanier ranks 18th among the same group.
My question to the Onward State community is whether his $590,000 salary is too much.
Before gracing Happy Valley with his presence, President Graham Spanier got his undergraduate and master's degrees at Iowa State. I'd say they've served him pretty well—so well, in fact, that Iowa State is having Spanier as their keynote speaker at the 50th anniversary celebration of ISU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Said Michael Whiteford, the College's dean, "That he is a university president and an Iowa State sociology graduate makes his return to campus for our college's 50th anniversary all the more meaningful."
Our beloved G-Span will leave us when he travels to Ames, Iowa, to give his speech: "What You Can Learn Sleeping in the Residence Halls," an apt reflection of today's college students. It's an appropriate subject for the venue, as going to college is infinitely different from 50 years ago. And he, of anyone, would know, from actually sleeping in the residence halls among the rank and file each move-in weekend.
ISU quotes Spanier as saying, "I always enjoy returning to Iowa State, since it brings back so many fond memories." Memories of going back and forth between the library and chapel, of course. No, but really, any man who has participated in the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona and is the president of one of the biggest universities in the United States is the definition of well-rounded, to the point where you wonder if he's for real.
More power to you, G-Span, you've showed us how real you are. Go show your alma mater what you're all about.
Yesterday we ran a story regarding Graham Spanier possibly being considered a candidate for the NCAA Presidency. However, the Centre Daily Times is reporting today that Spanier has ruled himself out as a candidate. He states in an email to the CDT, "I am aware that my name has been mentioned, and I have been approached about the possibility by a number of people, but I am not a candidate for the position."
This is a good thing for Penn State... Spanier has done great things and losing him would be a blow to the school. And it's not as if the NCAA doesn't have plenty of other Presidents to choose from!
Penn State President Graham Spanier hasn't been here for as long as JoePa has, but he's become such a recognizable part of the University that I have a hard time envisioning Old State without him. Spanier has been University President since 1995 and was a member of the faculty from 1973-1982 before leaving for several administrator positions at other universities across the country.
Yesterday though, the Associated Press ran a story discussing who will succeed Myles Brand as NCAA President. Brand died of pancreatic cancer on September 16. The report names Dr. Spanier as a potential candidate for the NCAA Presidency. One of the main reasons is based on the fact that Dr. Brand had served as a University president before taking over the NCAA (University of Oregon [1989-1994] and Indiana University [1994-2002]). Brand's tenure was marked by a commitment to improving the student-athlete experience by focusing more on academics and education (something Penn State has never had a problem with). Oregon State University President Ed Ray, who is in charge of finding a replacement for Brand, has hinted that his committee is leaning towards a University President.
The report names University of Hartford president Walter Harrison, Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman, NCAA executive Bernard Franklin, and Graham Spanier as possible candidates. Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman (a contemporary of Spanier's), Hampton University president William Harvey, Molloy College president Drew Bogner, Widener University president James Harris and Weber State president Ann Millner make ou the rest of the committee in charge of selecting the new president, and are not considered viable candidates themselves.
As if being a magician, juggler and University President weren't enough, once again Graham Spanier has released his annual list of movie reviews. There are only twelve (compared to last year's 17), but I feel they offer some fascinating insight into the mind of the G-Span.