Your gift. Your choice.
That is this year's theme for the EMU Foundation's annual
Faculty and Staff Giving Program, which will commence Nov.
1. At that time, an e-mail solicitation will be sent to
campus. The e-mail will include a photo of students, the
history of the giving program, a section of frequently
asked questions and a reminder to give again this year.
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GIVE AGAIN: This year's Faculty and Staff
Giving Program begins Nov. 1. On that
date, the
EMU Foundation will send an
all-campus e-mail reminding
everyone of
the program and to make a donation to the
department
or scholarship of their choice.
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"That (having a choice) is one of the unique things about
our Faculty and Staff Giving program that makes it different
from other MAC schools." said Pamela Wright, annual fund
manager for the EMU Foundation. "We encourage restricted
giving because faculty sees gaps or holes in their programs."
Rather than a paper form, this year's giving program will
feature an online guest form, which will be updated online
Nov. 1. The form will include dropdown menus to allow contributors
to conveniently scroll down to various program or scholarship
accounts to make their choice (s), Wright said.
The 2006-2007 giving program surpassed its goals,
netting $547,322 from 1,106 faculty, staff, emeritus faculty
and emeritus staff. Another $13,215 is expected in the
form of payroll deduction payments by the end of December.
In addition to outright gifts, there were several significant
gifts-in-kind, valued at approximately $98,000. The campaign
concluded June 30, 2007.
"This is my 40th year working for EMU. Since 1968, I've
witnessed a lot of good things happening at the University
and had many opportunities to grow as a person and professional
— opportunities that I wouldn't have received
working anywhere else," said
Bob England, director of the Rec/IM and member of the Faculty
and Staff Giving Program's steering committee. "I make
gifts to areas that I'm interested in, particularly my
own department and athletics. When I give to my
own department, it's because I know the needs intensely
and how tangibly the needs can be met. Mostly, I give to
give back. I love EMU and am grateful for the opportunities."
For each donation made, 100 percent of each pledge goes
to the account the donor designates.
Faculty and staff are encouraged to donate at any time,
but late fall is the period to consider making year-end
donations for tax benefits. The deadline to make a contribution
through full payroll deduction is Friday, Dec. 7. That
will ensure that payroll deduction pledges start with the
first pay
period in January 2008. If a staff or faculty member's
pledge is received after that date, the pledge will be
divided over whatever number of pay periods remain for
the year. Gift receipts for payroll deduction gifts will
be mailed in January 2009.
Every gift counts toward the campaign total and will be
listed in the Faculty and Staff Giving Honor Roll.
"Our faculty and staff are so generous," said Wright,
who said there is no dollar goal this year. "We just encourage
our faculty and staff to participate."
For more information, contact Wright at (734) 481-2308,
or e-mail her at pamela.wright@emich.edu
