???Despite the massive amounts of donations processed yearly at a school with hundreds of departments, academic programs and general expenses, UB has struggled to fairly distribute resources across the board.
???The university currently averages roughly 30 percent below collections and commitments, compared to 2008.
???Marsha Henderson, vice president for external affairs, explained that UB has recently heightened its awareness of the university's need for a more strategic platform on how to provide resources to each school. UB is attempting to evaluate past experiences, test the waters of donators and strive for its highest potential.
???"We've taken a lot of thoughtful time to observe [UB's] position, as well as other universities' perspectives of how to better distribute resources without using additional financial resources," Henderson said.
???UB plans to enhance the consideration of all people involved and budget for development. All funding will be in one financial unit to better manage expenses and employment. The university is striving to build firmer bonds and a stronger potential funding capacity for student and faculty resources, Henderson said.
???Some schools use more resources than others, according to Henderson. Differences in sizes of the school's pool of graduates or the fact that they are not actually a 'school,' such as the libraries, the Honors College or International Affairs, have prevented a fair distribution of funding in the past.
???Larger schools sometimes receive more funding. There are some very prominent people making advancements in smaller UB schools, according to Henderson, though the university does not give them a fair share of the resources to further succeed.
???With the changing economic climate, this task requires considerable assessment and effort in order to stretch a dollar's worth as much as possible, according to Henderson.
???"I respect and support the general idea and intentions of this change, but in regard to building stronger bonds with the school's students, I wonder how [UB] will actually estimate, apply and evaluate the changes," said Cassandra Beck, a junior exercise science major.
???A feasibility study is currently being conducted with plans to interview approximately 80-100 people, ranging from UB graduates to friends of graduates to those interested in the university and supporters.
???The average donation size to the university is about $800. However, some exceed $10 million, making it difficult to estimate and manage expenses. While Henderson stresses that she values every gift the university receives, she hopes that this study will provide a good feel of the highest level of gifts and allow the university to more actively and thoroughly access those with a high capacity to give.
???Shelby Tuszynski, a sophomore business major, responded to the university's plan with a positive outlook.
???"I think it's about time that the school applies money in more even and efficient ways," Tuszynski said. "Within the campus, I see so many things that have room for improvement, and wish I was able to see more of the outcomes of where the school's funding is going."
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
