Presidential Satisfaction with Development Programs in Research and Doctoral Universities

Abstract

The increasing costs of higher education and the decreasing willingness of taxpayers to support it have amplified the importance of fundraising in the modern university. The (dis)satisfaction of the university president with his/her development program can have profound ramifications for the success of the program and the careers of the development professionals. This paper addresses a gaping hole in the academic and practitioner knowledge base: What makes presidents satisfied and/or dissatisfied with their institution’s development efforts and how do they evaluate the performance of the development program.