Dartmouth Launches Fund Drive

Dartmouth College launched a five-year fundraising drive earlier this week to raise $425 million, the largest capital campaign in the school's history.

While several other universities have postponed plans for large fundraising efforts, the New Hampshire college decided to plow ahead despite the sour economy.

Money from the campaign, titled "The Will to Excel," will be used to provide ongoing support for the college. According to campaign materials, Dartmouth plans to increase faculty and financial aid endowments and add to academic programs and facilities.

Dartmouth spokesperson Alex Huppe expressed confidence in the campaign.

"It's a very well-crafted campaign," he said. "A lot of research has gone into the goals of the campaign... I think we have an ambitious but realistic goal."

Huppe said that the college will be soliciting donations from some 63,000 alumni, relatives, foundations and corporations. Dartmouth had already raised a nucleus fund of $128 million, he said.

Harvard has been planning a record-breaking capital campaign, to raise $2 billion or more, for the past few years, but President Neil L. Rudenstine last spring postponed the drive for at least two years.

Columbia University, Cornell University and the University of Pennsylvania are also currently engaged in multi-million dollar fund drives.