Compliance Status

Louisiana State University and A&M College is in compliance with this principle.

Narrative

The chief executive officer of Louisiana State University and A&M College (LSU) controls the fund-raising activities of the university formalized through law, board policy, and university policy. Louisiana R.S. 17:3351A(2) enumerates the authority of the LSU Board of Supervisors to include the solicitation and acceptance of donations [1]. The board and its employed system officers are empowered under the Chapter VI of the LSU Board of Supervisors’ Bylaws & Regulations to facilitate fund-raising [2]. Chapter VII, Section 4 of the Bylaws & Regulations dictates that the chancellor is the chief executive officer of the university and vests in him/her the authority over all operations, including fund-raising [3].  Policy Statement 50 clarifies that the chancellor is the chief executive officer of the university, making him/her responsible for fund-raising actions at the university [4]. Policy Statement 115 affirms that the chancellor oversees all fund-raising at LSU and includes the ethics of fund-raising, proposals for gifts, annual fund drives, student fund-raising, and donor recognition [5].

Periodically, the chancellor issues fund-raising priorities for the University, aligning philanthropic pursuits with academic goals. The last priority list was from Chancellor Michael V. Martin in January 2012, in which the endowment, student support, and capital projects related to business education, engineering, and student/career services were identified as priorities [6]. Interim Chancellor William Jenkins and Chancellor F. King Alexander have supported those goals through meetings and stewardship opportunities [7].

The Office of Institutional Advancement assists the chancellor in drafting university policy on fund-raising, coordination of fund-raising activities and stewardship, oversight of the enterprise, and direct assistance to the chancellor for direct fund-raising. The executive director of Institutional Advancement is also responsible for coordinating interactions between the affiliated non-profit support organizations, such as the LSU Alumni Association, and the university [8].

The Office of Corporate & Foundations Relations (CFR) facilitates philanthropic activities by coordinating proposals for larger donations that may encompass several university components or involve a single donor to several units [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]. CFR serves as a single point of contact for the ease of donors.

LSU has three primary affiliated non-profit support organizations that provide substantial philanthropic support, and each has as part of their mission a statement acknowledging that they exist for the benefit of LSU [15]. The LSU Foundation is the primary affiliate supporting the academic departments, as well as managing a portion of the endowment [16]. The Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) primarily assists the LSU Athletic Department [17]. The LSU Alumni Association conducts alumni chapter relations and fosters general support among the global alumni [18]. Each of these organizations has a signed affiliation agreement in accordance with the LSU Board of Supervisors Bylaws & Regulations (Chapter VIII) and operates in accordance with Policy Statement 115 on fund-raising [5]. The policy also establishes the Fund-raising Advisory Council composed of the chancellor, the LSU Foundation president, the LSU Alumni Association president, and the Tiger Athletic Foundation president. While this policy formalizes the meeting process, chancellors have been meeting with the leaders of the major fund-raising affiliates regularly for several years [7].

Policy Statement 50 empowers the academic officers of the university to conduct activities in furtherance of their academic goals [4]. To that end, each college, department, or unit may employ advancement professionals in support of their individual unit’s philanthropic goals. By embedding fund-raising activities, the units and the university are able to direct their efforts in accordance with existing goals. Due to Louisiana law on affiliated non-profit support organizations (R.S. 17:3350), some of the professionals may be compensated partly or completely by an affiliated organization [15]. Conflict in management is avoided by the chancellor having the authority to determine fund-raising efforts through Policy Statement 50 and Policy Statement 115.01 [4] [5]. Clarity is further provided through the joint development agreement (JDA) that re-states the LSU Foundation’s mission to support LSU and enumerates the expectations of the foundation, the university unit, and the advancement professionals [19] [20]. Additional information on fund-raising entities is considered in Comprehensive Standard 3.2.13.