by Dana Fischetti Left: The New Academic Building

Recently, U of L Magazine spoke with campaign chair Malcolm B. Chancey, Jr. ’54B on the goals of the campaign, its importance in supporting the Challenge for Excellence, and its impact on the future of the university.

U of L: What is the significance of the campaign to the future of U of L?

Chancey: Like most public institutions, U of L receives less than half of its annual funding from the public sector. U of L has always been thinly funded, and has remained so even with state support, so more of the university’s current and future funding must come from the private sector. U of L has done a terrific job with its current resources, but with the funds from this campaign, it will be an even stronger attraction for the highest-caliber faculty, staff, and students. One of our Challenge for Excellence goals is to meet the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s requirements for Research I status, and this campaign will be critical to making that happen.

U of L: What are the campaign goals?

Chancey: The campaign goals are focused around the four cornerstones of Student Scholarships and Fellowships, Faculty and Research, Academic Programs and Support, and Facility Enhancement. These cornerstones encompass a number of initiatives that are important to the university’s impact on the community, as well as its academic stature, such as the new Logistics and Distribution Institute, medical research, computer science technology development in the Speed School, and fellowships and scholarships in the College of Business and Public Administration’s entrepreneurship program. The campaign also calls for the establishment of 25 new endowed chairs, the first step toward the university’s goal of 75 endowed chairs by the year 2008.

U of L: Establishing 25 new endowed chairs is an aggressive goal. Why are endowed chairs so critical to the university’s future growth?

Chancey: Excellent students follow excellent faculty, and the best way to get excellent faculty is through the establishment of endowed chairs to fund their research. If we can attract the best faculty, they will in turn attract the best students, particularly graduate students, which will help us keep Kentucky’s best student talent from going out-of-state to college.

U of L: How would you define U of L’s impact on the Louisville area and the state?

Chancey: I like the term metropolitan university, because U of L has an urban mission but it affects a lot more than the inner city. It serves a special niche because it is the only university we have in the Louisville metropolitan area with research status. And, since 30 percent of state revenues come from Louisville and Jefferson County, it’s also the only university that is located as part of the economic engine of the state. U of L is an integral part of this community and impacts our success and our growth. It stimulates social and cultural change and affects the overall quality of life.

U of L: How would you like for alumni and community leaders to perceive the university?

Chancey: We want people in this community to look at U of L as a total university and support all of its programs. There are certain schools within U of L that have strong relationships with the business community, such as the College of Business and Public Administration and the Speed Scientific School, because they have a natural affinity with the industries that are interested in their graduates. We want to broaden those relationships so that we have a total constituency base for the entire university. We want to interest community and business leaders in supporting schools and colleges that may not have those natural affinities with what they do, but which certainly have a positive impact on the community as a whole.

It’s also meaningful for people to have a relationship with U of L that goes beyond athletics. Athletics are important, no question. Our athletic programs help us provide an outlet for the students, and they also create a base of fan support that helps with our fund-raising efforts. But I would like to invite anyone whose only recent contact with U of L has been through athletics to take some time to investigate the university’s academic, economic, cultural, and social contributions as well. I think they’ll find even more reasons to support this institution.

U of L: You recently made a sizeable personal contribution to the campaign, committing $1 million for the establishment of a joint master’s degree program in business administration and engineering. What was behind that decision?

Chancey: I really felt that it was payback time. If it wasn’t for the university and the access I had to it, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed the success that I have. It’s been the cornerstone of both my business life and my personal life. By making this gift, I was able to fulfill three of my personal goals: contributing to the success of the campaign, giving back to my alma mater, and assisting in the economic development of the community. Also, I feel there is a definite need for a master’s program like this, that reaches across disciplines. We often tend to think about education "in the box" and I believe we should be crossing academic boundaries to better prepare students for careers. Through this program, talented engineering students will be able to develop the skills needed to turn a concept for a new product or service into a successful business venture.

U of L: What was it that attracted you to the role of campaign chair?

Chancey: One reason is that I was getting ready to retire, and I felt that I would have more time to devote to U of L activities. Also, I believe that giving to the university is a commitment that those of us who owe a good part of our quality of life, our social acquaintances, and our livelihood to our time spent at U of L should make. It’s important to support the university financially, but alumni can also contribute to U of L’s success by donating their time and talents. I seemed to be a natural choice for campaign chair because I’ve done so much fund-raising work. We've been able to build a team through a strong local network, and that has resulted in an outstanding campaign steering committee. The expectation level of this group is very high and, because of that, I believe we will achieve and exceed our goals.

U of L: How can alumni who are not in a position to make a large donation contribute to the campaign?

Chancey: It’s critical that everyone be involved in this campaign to the degree that they are able. While the university greatly appreciates the contributions of donors who can give large amounts and we ask everyone to give as much as they can, it’s going to be the many smaller donations we receive in this last phase of the campaign that will put us over the top. The amount of the gift is far less important than the need for everyone to participate, because those many small gifts very quickly add up. I encourage all of our alumni and supporters to give whatever they can, and be a part of this exciting new chapter in the history of U of L.