UC Irvine is preparing to launch the largest fund-raising effort in campus history, a five- to 10-year campaign designed to drum up $750 million to $1 billion from private donors for everything from scholarships to endowed chairs to athletic facilities and research buildings.

The campaign is meant to benefit the entire university, but school officials say it will emphasize areas of excellence and growth, such as stem cell research, energy and environment, education, and possibly Irvine’s young, emerging program in pharmaceutical science.

The original start date of the campaign was this fall, but it might be briefly delayed because of the weak condition of the national and local economy.

“If things get worse and the university has to make (budget) cuts we may wait a little longer,” said Tom Mitchell, UCI’s vice chancellor of university advancement. “That’s why campaigns go on for five to 10 years. You can hit a soft spot (in the economy.)
UCI private fundraising

UCI is launching the campaign for basically two reasons: State financing for UC campuses has been declining for years, as a percentage of each school’s budget. And Irvine expects to expand its enrollment by about 5,000 students over the next five to seven years.

Large fundraising campaigns aren’t uncommon. More than 20 colleges and universities are in the midst of trying to raise at least $1 billion. UC San Diego, which opened the same year as UCI, finished a $1 billion campaign about a year ago.

Even comparatively rich schools — such as UCLA — push for private donation. The university raised more than $3 billion over a 10-year period that ended in 2005. And UCLA is running large newspaper ads emphasizing its contributions to the economy and society. The ads are meant to influence private donors and the Legislature, which is finalizing the details of the UC system budget.

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