Achieving Peak Performance in Challenging Times

Plenary Speakers

Dr. Brenda Harms -- Client Consultant, Stamats, Inc. 

Wise Moves in Tough Times
By any measure, these are tough times. Adding to the angst is an increasing uncertainty on how students and their families will respond to a struggling economy. Institutions are scrambling to adjust, and many are uncertain about what moves they need to make to positively impact '09 enrollments and beyond.

Join Dr. Brenda Harms of Stamats, one of the nation's most experienced higher education consultancies, as she will explore a series of marketing and enrollment strategies that will help your institution maintain traction in today's ever-changing marketplace.

Jim Langley -- Vice President for Advancement at Georgetown University

Coping with the Present by Focusing on the Future
As we grapple with the impact of a severely contracted economy, it is
vitally important that we not allow financial retrenchment to lead us
into a deflated retreat from our core mission. Jim Langley will make
the case for why it is more important than ever to look ahead and
articulate a vision for the future by suggesting ways to encourage and
inspire our internal and external constituents -- even in the most
difficult times.

Jim Langley is vice president for advancement at Georgetown University. Langley serves on the president’s executive committee and oversees the offices of alumni relations, advancement services, development, Medical Center development, and Law Center development.

He is the former vice chancellor for external relations at the University of California at San Diego, where he oversaw the planning and execution of UCSD’s $1 billion campaign, which roughly tripled annual gift income. Prior to UCSD, he was vice president for external affairs at Georgia Institute of Technology from 1989 to 1998. Georgia Tech’s endowment more than tripled during his tenure there.

Tracks and Sessions

Note: Below is listed the sessions and presenters.  All session, presenters and times are subject to change.

Alumni Relations

Alumni - Donors & Advocates (Joint Session with Government Relations)
Presenter:  Diane Greiwe -- Advocacy Communications Specialist, Binghamton University

As campuses develop advocacy strategies that include alumni, how do we balance our financial asks with our advocacy asks? Can they co-exist?

“FANtastic”: Building your Future Alumni Network Today
Presenters:
Ronna T. Bosko, Acting Director of Alumni Affairs at SUNY Plattsburgh; Michelle Tackett Spinner, Associate Alumni Director for SUNY Oswego

Join this panel for the latest and greatest ideas in student alumni programs – from student ambassador programs to senior class ideas to student/alumni career programs. Learn how to build your network of future alumni while they’re still on campus!

A Space for us: Building an Online Alumni Community in a Web 2.0 World (Joint Session with Web)
Presenter: Mary Beth Kurilko, Freelance Webwriter, Social Media
Consultant and Adjunct Communications Professor - Philadelphia
University

Do you know the difference between a tweet, a twosh and a twitter? Engaging alumni used to be as easy as following a standard plan of print materials, a Web site, some e-mail blasts and other collateral. But as user-created content becomes the norm, we can’t leave social networking out of our marketing mix. Don’t let it scare you! We’ll talk about which tools to use (or if we should use them at all!) and how to educate leadership about how best to use what’s out there to connect with our alumni and create a better virtual space where they can engage, interact and support the institution.

“One Great Idea”: Come and Get It!
Presenter: Steve Frederick, Associate Vice President of Institutional Advancement, Clinton Community College

You should leave every conference with at least one great idea. If you haven't found yours yet - this is the session for you! If you have already found your great idea, why not come and share it and take home a few more? Working in round table groups, we will explore the key challenges facing alumni professionals. Bring your best idea and your biggest challenges!

Development

Strategic Planning and Benchmarking to Improve your Results
Presenter: Jill A. Pranger, ACFRE, Pranger Philanthropic

We know how to talk to prospective donors about our programs and about their interests…we know how to ask for gifts…we know how to craft winning grant proposals…we even know how to manage our Board members and bosses to help us succeed. But do we know how to measure our results…how to plan for success…and how to compare ourselves against other programs?  Moreover, do we know why any of these matter or how they will help us increase our success? Join us for new thinking, new ideas, and new satisfaction!

 

Successfully Scale the Pinnacle of Giving – Planned & Major Gifts
Presenter: Garry E. Malone, Senior Associate, Gift Planning & Charitable Gift Annuity Services, LLC

You can obtain the biggest planned and/or major gifts with the least amount of expense and effort and make it happen with Alumni, faculty, staff and friends! Planned giving is the most enduring program which produces the greatest of lasting satisfaction to the Donor. The Real Cost is in not doing planned giving.

 

The Care and Feeding of Leadership Donors
Presenter: Jill A. Pranger, ACFRE, President, Pranger Philanthropic

No matter how “leadership” is applied, these donors are the lifeblood of most university advancement programs. They are in a unique category…while they are “major” to the Annual Giving program, they may not yet be considered Major institutional donors, they may not be on the radar for the Planned Gift office, and they haven’t yet participated in a capital campaign for our institution -- or they may have done all of these! The important thing is how to retain them as donors…increasing their annual gifts and encouraging their participation through other gift opportunities.

 

Nervous Nellies, Due Diligence & Hiccups: Lessons Learned from the Business Sector
Presenter: Allie Quick, Executive Director of Principal Gifts, University of Pittsburgh

In 2007, Americans made charitable gifts of more than $306 billion to nonprofit organizations. Gifts from individuals accounted for 74% of that total. The need has never been greater for institutions to strengthen relationships with their constituents and for development officers to reevaluate how they are doing business. This session will focus on the ways in which one seasoned fundraiser has successfully incorporated sales principles, language and techniques into her work with current and prospective donors. Learn how she has adapted a more business-like approach to her fundraising efforts, particularly with high capacity prospects and C-level executives. This session will provide you with specific strategies that you can implement immediately and a new framework for thinking about how you approach, engage in conversations with, and bring prospects through the gift cycle.

 

Marketing to Attract Capital Support: Trust and Transparency (Joint Session with Marketing)
Presenter: Eleanor Drury, principal, Drury Associates

Reshaping your message to reflect what we are experiencing in today’s economy and changing world.

 

Government Relations

Alumni - Donors & Advocates (Joint Session with Alumni Relations)
Presenter:  Diane Greiwe -- Advocacy Communications Specialist, Binghamton University

As campuses develop advocacy strategies that include alumni, how do we balance our financial asks with our advocacy asks? Can they co-exist?

Communicating with Elected Officials
Presenters: John D’Alessandro -- Vice President, Public Affairs, Zone 5;
Ryan Deuel -- Chief of Staff, SUNY Canton; Michael Frame -- Director of Federal Relations, Binghamton University; and James Campbell -- Director of Legislative Relations, SUNY System Administration

How do you effectively communicate with elected officials? How do you deal with elected officials when you have a campus incident in which they become involved? The panelists will discuss how they have had to present negative information to elected officials and answer your questions.

 

131 Days Later - The 6th Month Review of the Obama Administration and 111th Congress
Presenter: Angela Anderson -- Assistant Director of Federal Relations for SUNY Office of Federal Relations

There's been a lot of things happening in Washington, D.C. now that the Obama Administration has assume duties. Angie will present an update on legislation that affects higher education and how it impacts campuses.

 

Marketing

You’re Asking Me to do What?!? – Practical Ethics for Advancement Professionals
Presenter: Joe Brennan, Associate Vice President for University Communications, University at Buffalo

This workshop identifies common ethical dilemmas encountered by communicators, development and alumni professionals, and offers guidelines for navigating these dangerous waters. Participants will work in small groups to discuss cases based on real situations. Target audience: advancement professionals from any discipline.

Marketing to Attract Capital Support: Trust and Transparency (Joint Session with Development)
Presenter: Eleanor Drury, principal, Drury Associates

Reshaping your message to reflect what we are experiencing in today’s economy and changing world.

 

“Insider” Marketing: Getting Others to Sell Your Story
Presenter: Suzanne Chamberlain, Senior Director of External Affairs, University at Buffalo

When it isn’t enough for you to tell the story of your institution, find ways that alumni and friends can carry the message.  The University at Buffalo finds advocates through its UB Believers program to help when seeking legislative changes.  And in the business community, UB Business Partners Day gives area companies and organizations a chance to show how partnering with the university brings economic and social benefits to the region.  Discover the added credibility when external partners sell your story.

When Bad News Happens: Practical Advice for Communicating During a Crisis on Your Campus (Joint Session with Public Relations)
Presenter: Joe Brennan, Associate Vice President for University Communications, University
at Buffalo

A veteran communicator shares best practices for crisis communications. Topics include: working with the media, selecting a spokesperson, preparing messages, and managing the communications function during high-stress events. Target audience: communicators.

Doing More with Less: Creating an Online Community for Accepted Students (Joint Session with Web)
Presenter: Rachel Reuben, Director of Web Communication & Strategic Projects, SUNY New Paltz

We’re all facing budget crunches. Programs and departments are reducing their print efforts and turning to the Web more than ever. In most cases, the Web staff aren’t seeing additional resources being added in their area to aid in this increasing shift. This session will go over ways you can be creative with existing resources, staffing and otherwise, especially with regards to recruiting and yielding efforts for new students.

 

Publications

Getting Outside of the Literal Box: Working With our Environment for Inspiration
Presenter: Sandra Hildreth -- Local Adirondack Photographer

Sandra Hildreth will lead attendees on an outdoor hike to get inspired by nature.  Color, form and balance all exist in nature and often can help you get new ideas for your projects.

 

Print, Web and the Content-Driven World: Timely Matters and Middle Ground (Joint session with Web)
Presenter:  Colin Nekritz, Executive Director, Image Wranglers Inc.

In a world of so many advertising and marketing questions, how can we decide what goes in print and what goes on the web?   In this session, we’ll address the need for both and how to determine those answers and how content should be formatted differently for each medium.  We will also address the burden of content, the designer hat versus the programmer hat and design control in Web 2.0.

 

Capturing Great Photography: Panel discussion
Presenters: Kathryn Deuel, freelance photographer and instructor at St.
Lawrence University and SUNY Potsdam; Chris Lenny, staff photographer
at Clarkson University; and Paul Castle, freelance photographer from
Saratoga, N.Y.

A panel of photographers will lead a discussion on capturing dynamic photography, whether you can afford a photographer or not. Their combined experience will give you tips as to when you might hire a freelancer and what you can do to make your photos better if you have to take your own on the fly.

 

Printing: In A World of Hurt
Presenter: Lisa Cania, Associate Vice President for University Relations, St. Lawrence University

When do we choose quality over cost?  What kinds of cost-saving measures can we take as communications professionals to make sure quality isn’t affected by economic downturn?  With cold calls from printers in abundance, how do we choose loyalty over cost?

 

Public Relations

2020: A Strategist Approach – How the Changing Face of Higher Education and America Will Affect Who You Are and What You Do
Presenter: Bryan Cook, Ph.D., Director, Center for Policy Analysis, American Council on Education

Our world is becoming more globalized, baby boomers are nearing retirement, and the number of high school graduates nationally is declining.  How will higher education adapt to our changing society? This session will introduce many of the demographic and political challenges that colleges and universities need to consider to remain competitive in the future.

Indecent Proposals & Strange Bedfellows: What to Expect from the Media in 2009
Presenter: Jaci Clement, Executive Director, Fair Media Council

Get an inside look at the changes happening inside the media, and how it affects what you read, see and hear in the news. The media landscape will change dramatically in 2009 -- this presentation will help you to prepare (now!) to change how you work to promote and market your business in what promises to be a very challenging year.

Strategic PR in a 2.0 World
Presenter: Jeffrey Morosoff, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, Nassau Community College Garden City, NY

How to devise, implement and measure an effective strategic PR program that impacts audiences you want to reach.

When Bad News Happens: Practical Advice for Communicating During a Crisis on Your Campus (Joint Session with Marketing)
Presenter: Joe Brennan, Associate Vice President for University Communications, University at Buffalo

A veteran communicator shares best practices for crisis
communications. Topics include: working with the media, selecting a
spokesperson, preparing messages, and managing the communications
function during high-stress events. Target audience: communicators.

 

Web

Doing More with Less: Creating an Online Community for Accepted Students (Joint Session with Marketing)
Presenter: Rachel Reuben, Director of Web Communication & Strategic Projects, SUNY New Paltz

We’re all facing budget crunches. Programs and departments are
reducing their print efforts and turning to the Web more than ever. In
most cases, the Web staff aren’t seeing additional resources being
added in their area to aid in this increasing shift. This session will
go over ways you can be creative with existing resources, staffing and
otherwise, especially with regards to recruiting and yielding efforts
for new students.

Goal-Driven Web Strategy: Implementing Technology with an Eye on ROI
Presenter: Karlyn Morissette, President, Principal Consultant of DoJo Web Strategy

You've integrated technology into your marketing plan, but can you tell if it's working? Now more than ever, it's important to continually monitor your online marketing strategies to ensure they are optimized for success.  This presentation will teach you how to develop your online marketing strategies in a way that allows you to measure their success, and will walk you through real world examples of calculating the ROI of your online efforts.

You Can’t Please Everyone, But Let’s Give it a Try: Usability on the Cheap
Presenter: Mary Beth Kurilko, Freelance Webwriter, Social Media Consultant and Adjunct Communications Professor - Philadelphia University

Been to any bad websites lately? What do they have in common? They likely skipped user testing because it was “too much work” or “it costs too much” or (shudder) “we don’t want anyone to see it before it launches.” When Temple University launched its new homepage in 2008, they did a variety of user tests – some pricey and some just about free. Hear how they did it and bring back practical tips you can use at your institution. We’ll also discuss how social media tools are great ways to follow and learn about your audience.

A Space for us: Building an Online Alumni Community in a Web 2.0 World (Joint Session with Alumni Relations)
Presenter: Mary Beth Kurilko, Freelance Webwriter, Social Media Consultant and Adjunct Communications Professor - Philadelphia University

Do you know the difference between a tweet, a twosh and a twitter?
Engaging alumni used to be as easy as following a standard plan of
print materials, a Web site, some e-mail blasts and other collateral.
But as user-created content becomes the norm, we can’t leave social
networking out of our marketing mix. Don’t let it scare you! We’ll talk
about which tools to use (or if we should use them at all!) and how to
educate leadership about how best to use what’s out there to connect
with our alumni and create a better virtual space where they can
engage, interact and support the institution.

Print, Web and the Content-Driven World: Timely Matters and Middle Ground (Joint session with Publications)
Presenter:  Colin Nekritz, Executive Director, Image Wranglers Inc.

In a world of so many advertising and marketing questions, how can
we decide what goes in print and what goes on the web?   In this
session, we’ll address the need for both and how to determine those
answers and how content should be formatted differently for each
medium.  We will also address the burden of content, the designer hat
versus the programmer hat and design control in Web 2.0.

 

 Special Admissions Session

 

What They’re Saying About You… And What You Can (Or Can’t) Do About It”
Chris D’Orso, Assistant Director of Admissions, Stony Brook University

Sure, you all know about Facebook and Myspace and some of the more popular social networking sites. And you know about US News & World Report. But like it or not, your school is all over the Web… we’ll discuss how to find out what’s out there on the Web about your campus, and how to handle it from an admissions perspective.