Now I'm very confused. Maybe it's a good thing I'm taking a couple of days off starting tomorrow. I downloaded the Overview of Changes document from April and am seeing a ton of changes to the survey when compared to the 2021 one. Some of the changes include:
- Changes in constituencies
- Changes in VSE categories
- Expansion of alumni type
- New DAF donor category
- Having to break-out soft credits and hard credits by alumni type
- Having to break-out soft credits and hard credits by other donor type (even though these donor types are elsewhere consolidated to one type)
- 15 gift bands that have to be calculated by number of donors
- 15 gift bands that have to be calculated by total funds received
- 8 graduation year cohort bands for alumni
- Addition of "Student Affairs/Life" as a fund purpose with no explanation of how the report wants that to be defined.
I'm thinking this new version of the report is going to add days to a process that is already very time consuming. I'm wondering is it worth it? What's the downside to not doing it.
Robyn
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Robyn Smith
Director of Advancement Services
Randolph College
rsmith@randolphcollege.edu------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 06-15-2022 01:38 PM
From: John Taylor
Subject: Changes to VSE Report
I should have been clearer. There are no new NEW changes since the changes were announced LAST YEAR when the new Standards came out in March 2021. Here is a summary of those changes already reflected in the VSE:
- Total New Funds Committed Without Bequests
- Total New Funds Committed With Bequests
- Under Advancement Investment, there is no longer a separate column for communications and marketing
- In 3a, Faculty/Staff Compensation has been added BACK - It had been rolled into "Academic Divisions: but too many institutions complained about that
- In "Giving by Alumni Graduation Cohort (4bA3) the 10 Years Out cohort has been split into 0-5 and 6-10.
- In "Gift Bands Funds Received" & "Gift Bands Number of Donors," additional gift bands have been added below the $2,500 level
- "Purposes of Gifts to Endowment with Income Restricted" has, like the above, re-split Faculty/Staff Compensation out from Academic Divisions
That's it.
John H. Taylor
Principal
John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
2604 Sevier St.
Durham, NC 27705
919.816.5903 (cell/text)
Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987
Original Message:
Sent: 6/15/2022 2:13:00 PM
From: Aaron Forrest
Subject: RE: Changes to VSE Report
Thanks! No need to panic in June! Enough is broken already. J
Aaron Forrest CPA
Senior Director Gift and Donor Services
University of Rochester Office of Advancement
585.275.2799 | aaron.forrest@rochester.edu
Original Message:
Sent: 6/15/2022 1:59:00 PM
From: John H. Taylor
Subject: RE: Changes to VSE Report
Just added a few optional things.
John H. Taylor
919.816.5903 (Cell/Text)
Big Ideas; Small Keyboard
Original Message:
Sent: 6/15/2022 1:57:00 PM
From: Aaron Forrest
Subject: RE: Changes to VSE Report
What changes? Was I napping?
Aaron Forrest CPA
Senior Director Gift and Donor Services
University of Rochester Office of Advancement
585.275.2799 | aaron.forrest@rochester.edu
Original Message:
Sent: 6/14/2022 5:23:00 PM
From: John H. Taylor
Subject: RE: Changes to VSE Report
Robyn, are you aware that there is a "minimal" version of the VSE that's only a third of the questions? Talk to Ann Kaplan if you want to save yourself a ton of time.
John
John H. Taylor
Principal
John H. Taylor Consulting, LLC
2604 Sevier St.
Durham, NC 27705
919.816.5903 (cell/text)
Serving the Advancement Community Since 1987
Original Message:
Sent: 6/14/2022 5:17:00 PM
From: Robyn R. Smith
Subject: Changes to VSE Report
Good Evening Friends.
I've been reviewing the changes to the VSE Report and am concerned at how much more complicated it's become. So much so, that I'm considering asking my VP if we can stop submitting the report this year and going forward. To be honest, no one at my organization is really sure why we complete the survey (beyond "we always have"), and we have rarely used the information provided in the report. Is anyone else out there thinking the same thing, or can you share why my organization should continue to have me spend so many days pulling the information to complete the survey.
Thanks for any insight you may have.
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Robyn Smith
Director of Advancement Services
Randolph College
rsmith@randolphcollege.edu
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