Class Agent Online Handbook

Dear Class Agent,

Our alumni are finding new ways to stay connected with the college and each other.  More than 2,100 people have joined the Cornell Facebook fan page to keep up to date on the college, while others enjoynews feeds from the Cornell Web site.  Still, the most treasured source of information is your class letter and, for your time and effort, I thank you.

This past year the college and its students have persevered in spite of the economy.  Cornell has received national recognition for its quality education in the U.S. News and World Report, Forbes, The Princeton Review, and the Fiske Guide to Colleges.  Student athletes celebrated success on a national level in basketball and wrestling, while student scholars enjoyed national success with the mock trial team. Extraordinary Opportunities: The Campaign for Cornell College is nearing its $92 million goal and renovations in Pfeiffer Hall and the Paul K. Scott Alumni Center at Rood House are already being enjoyed by students and staff.  We continually read in your letters about alumni whose extraordinary experiences on campus launched them into extraordinary opportunities after college, a testament both to our alumni and the college.

The ability to offer extraordinary opportunities to our student is only possible through the support of alumni who are passionate about Cornell and who stay connected with the college.  Nearly 4,000 alumni participated in the Annual Fund, helping us raise $2.2 million. Your class letter plays a significant role in not only informing our alumni, but in encouraging them to give back to Cornell. I appreciate your willingness to give an extra measure of support by serving as class agent!

Again, I thank you for your dedication to the college.  I look forward to another year of engaging, informative letters.

Sincerely,
Lisa White, Hon. '08

Director of Alumni

CONTENTS

2008-2009 Class Agent Calendar
The Cornell College Class Agent Program
The Cornell College Annual Fund
Uses of the Annual Fund
Preparing the Class Agent Letter
Class Agent Position Description
Glossary of Fundraising Terms
Directory of Cornell Personnel
Class Agent Roster
Alumni Board Roster
Enrollment Statistics (.pdf file - must have Adobe Reader 3.0 or higher to view)
Annual Giving Reports for Fiscal Year 2007-2008
Top Ten Honor Rolls
Options for Giving
Cornell Fast Facts
Cornell College News

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The Cornell College Class Agent Program
Cornell’s class agents have been a vital link between the college and its alumni for over 50 years. Over the years, agents’ letters have shared news of the campus and classmates, encouraged classmates to support the college financially to ensure the continued quality of the Cornell experience, and helped to deepen alumni ties to the Hilltop. The personal touch you provide through shared memories and experiences cannot be duplicated by any other program.

The Cornell College Annual Fund

Choose Cornell…Again
The Cornell College Annual Fund
Give Every Year. Make a Difference Every Day.
2009-2010

The Annual Fund provides an opportunity for all alumni, parents and friends to make an immediate, profound impact on Cornell students and faculty. The Annual Fund supports every aspect of academic and student life at Cornell. From the most fundamental needs of the college, to new and innovative programs, the Annual Fund makes a difference in the daily lives of our students, faculty and staff. When the Annual Fund thrives, so does the college.

Tuition and fees, earnings from the endowment, and contributions to the Annual Fund are the principal sources of revenue for Cornell. Because gifts to the Annual Fund are unrestricted, they give the college flexibility to address the most urgent priorities and take advantage of unexpected opportunities as they arise. The Annual Fund includes unrestricted gifts made from July 1 through June 30 – the college’s fiscal year.

Bridging the Gap

Tuition alone does not cover the full cost of educating a Cornell student. In fact, tuition and fees cover only about 65% of the costs of a Cornell education. Since tuition and endowment earnings are not sufficient to meet all the needs of the college, the Annual Fund helps to bridge the gap between revenue and expenses.

The Impact of Participation

Reaching the Annual Fund monetary goal is important but equally important is raising the level of participation among alumni. Many college ranking organizations view alumni participation as an indicator of alumni satisfaction. In addition, when evaluating the college for grants, many corporations and foundations consider alumni participation as a measure the college’s stature and stability. In recent years, Cornell’s alumni participation rate has hovered in the mid-30 percent range. As Cornell moves forward, our target alumni participation rate needs to reach the mid-40 percent range. The Annual Fund only succeeds as a collective effort and every gift, regardless of size, has true power.

Programs Supported by the Annual Fund

The Fiscal Year 2009 Annual Fund ended at 2.19 million which was 92% of the 2.375 million goal. While we were dwon by 4% in giving from 2008 there was a 10% increase in President Society membership of gifts totaling $1,500+. The Annual Fund provides immediate support to Cornell. Here are some examples of how the Annunal Fund benefited the students, faculty and college community:

Scholarships and financial aid
Student & faculty research programs
Off campus study programs
Technology upgrades
Library acquisitions
Faculty and staff salaries
Laboratory equipment
Faculty teaching and course development
Mentoring, leadership & volunteer programs
Campus maintenance and improvements

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Cornell Superstars
The Top Ten Classes in
Participation – Total $ Support – Number of Donors

2008-2009

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College News

Theatre, Art cited as among best in nation in yearly awards
Cornell once again celebrated strong rankings in Forbes, The Princeton Review, and The Fiske Guide to Colleges. What's new is the high rankings the theatre and art departments received. The Princeton Review ranked Cornell among the best undergraduate institutions in the nation, and cited the theatre department as the 16^th best in the country. Fiske called Cornell a "Top Financial Find" and one of the "44 Best Buy Schools," and cited the art department as one of the 24 best among undergraduate institutions. Finally, Forbes magazine once again listed Cornell as the best college in Iowa, and 105^th overall.

Extraordinary giving
Despite a year of economic turmoil Cornell closed out the 2008-2009 year strongly, raising $9.8 million in gifts, pledges, and grants, including nearly $1 million for the environmental studies program and $2.2 million for the annual fund. Nearly 4,000 donors contributed to funds that allowed students to study overseas, renovated dormitories, created new classes and programs, brought in lecturers and provided student scholarships. Cornell has received extraordinary gifts from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, trustee Sheryl Atkinson Stoll '70 and her husband William Stoll, Tom Durham '77 and the Rev. Martha Hemenway Durham '78, and many, many others. If you are considering a gift to the Cornell Annual Fund, now is the time to give. Without the support of our alumni and friends, there is no Cornell. To give to the annual fund, visit cornellcollege.edu/giving.

Change is the name of the game
After one of Cornell's most successful athletic years ever, a number of new faces will be pacing the sidelines in 2009-10 as several teams try to repeat while others aim simply to contend. Shawn Voigt '90, Cornell's last national champion in wrestling, returns to the mats as an assistant for Mike Duroe's squad that finished 8^th at the national tournament and had three all-Americans. Meanwhile, Adam Hadenfeldt '06 returns to the Hilltop to helm a baseball team that finished 10-23 last year. Also new this season is Derek Bell as Cornell's first director of soccer, taking over both the men's (3-13 in 2008) and women's (8-10) teams. Finally, after leading the basketball team to a conference championship and a berth in the NCAA tournament, the Rams had to say goodbye to Coach Mike DeGeorge as he pursued other non-coaching opportunities with his family.

Rood House finished/offices move
Several offices moved during the summer of 2009, creating a centralized location for basic student services in Old Sem. Thanks to a gift from Richard Small '50 and honorary alumna Norma Small, the staff in Alumni and College Advancement relocated from Old Sem to the Paul K. Scott Alumni Center at Rood House. Other offices shifted as well. A complete list of new office locations can be found at http://news.cornellcollege.edu/2009/08/12/offices/

Cornell gets social
If you're not one of the more than 2,100 alumni on Facebook, what are you waiting for? Visit facebook.com/cornellcollege to view photos, read updated news, interact with other Cornellians, and get inside information on area events. Cornell also can be found on Twitter (if you're into that sort of thing) at Twitter.com/cornellcollege.

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