by Kathleen Bain
Communications

Scholarships topped a fund-raising priorities list proposed to 77 opinion leaders surveyed by Trent in a campaign feasibility study.

      The Board of Governors will endorse final priorities in June, after further consultation this month by the campaign priorities selection committee with Senate and the university community.

      Respondents were asked to rank the priority of six proposals: scholarships, First Nations house of learning academic building at Peter Robinson College, building renovations, learning technology, research and scientific equipment, and four special projects.

      A majority of the respondents ranked scholarships, learning technology and research and scientific equipment in the top three. Less favored were the building at Peter Robinson College and special projects (which included centres for institutional research and community-based education, nature-areas investment, and support for Laurence and Ryle lectures). Opinion on the priority of building renovations was almost evenly split.

      "If you look at all of the work since the priorities selection process began in 1996, there has been more community consultation and input than with Trent's last campaign (in 1988-91)," campaign director Mike McClintock said.

      Twenty-nine per cent of those interviewed were faculty, staff and students, another 25 per cent were from the greater Peterborough area, 25 per cent from the greater Toronto area and 21 per cent from other parts of Ontario and Canada. Almost half those interviewed were corporate directors, donations officers, business owners and executives. Almost another 20 per cent were members of Trent's board and fund-raising volunteers, 12 per cent were Trent alumni leaders and 12 per cent were native and non-native leaders in aboriginal education.

      Forty per cent of 73 respondents believed the $28.5 million list of needs wasn't achievable, compared with 33 per cent who felt it was. The remaining 27 per cent said they didn't know.

      "Most opinion leaders said that they expect Trent to cut the list down before the campaign goes ahead," said McClintock. "Many thought that $28.5-million is proportionately too high for Trent, compared to other campaigns they have seen."

      Although the proposal around a First Nations house of learning was ranked first by 15 of those interviewed, 53 per cent of respondents ranked the project in the bottom three of all six projects.

      "There was a lot of interest in Native Studies at Trent. Many see it as one of our strengths. However, respondents had many questions about the proposed building project. A variety of comments are listed in the study report." Copies of the report are available from the campaign office in Blackburn Hall 109 and by e-mailing mmcclintock@trentu.ca.

      When asked their opinion of the priority of construction of new buildings versus renovation of existing buildings, 51 per cent said they would support renovations first, as opposed to eight per cent who favored new buildings first.

      A majority of respondents indicated a willingness to make a donation as individuals or as company, foundation or organization donors.

      McClintock says the campaign's public launch will likely be in the first half of 1999, "after we have secured over 50 per cent of our overall fund-raising objective."