February 6, 2007 | Staff

United Way Contributions Total More than $276,000

After setting five straight records, this year's campaign resulted in a 7.7 percent decrease in total contributions and pledges over last year.

By Judy Moore

The 2006-07 United Way campaign has received contributions and pledges totaling $276,852.

After setting five straight records, this year's campaign resulted in a 7.7 percent decrease in total contributions and pledges over last year.

Northwestern employees decreased their contributions by 8.2 percent for a total of $256,557.

Northwestern Medical Faculty Foundation (NMFF) staff contributed $2,060; Northwestern retirees, emeritus and contributed services faculty contributed $10,600; and silent auction proceeds added $7,635.

A total of 879 people made or pledged gifts -- 815 staff and faculty members, 52 emeritus faculty, contributed services faculty and retirees, and 12 NMFF staff.

Of the total amount, United Way agencies will receive $233,945 (84 percent) and other charitable organizations will receive $42,907 (16 percent) from the campaign, which again allowed donors to write in names of any IRS-recognized non-profit groups.

The $1,500 Gold Medal winner of the participation rate contest was Student Accounts and Loans with a 75.68 percent participation rate. The $1,000 Silver Medal went to Tech Support Services at 51.61 percent. Winner of the $750 Bronze Medal was Alumni Relations and Development (Group 1) with 43.21 percent. The $500 Runner Up Award went to University Relations with 41.03 percent. The $250 Most Improved winner was Athletics and Recreation (Group 2) with a 13.31 percent point improvement.

Campaign managers were:

Alumni Relations and Development: Lindsay Pool and Emily Higgins; Athletics and Recreation: Daniel Bulfin and Betsi Burns; Business and Administration/Planning: Ed Gozdecki; Business and Finance: Katwanya West, Nancy Pinchar, Ingrid Stafford, Paul Weller, Guy Miller, Brian Peters, David Schultz and Don Moore.

School of Communication: none assigned; School of Continuing Studies: Mylene Mauclair and Carolyn Feller; School of Education and Social Policy: Sarah Booth; Graduate School: Simon Greenwold; Information Technology: Brian Nielson, Charlene Hunter, Gary Greenberg, Jim Chen, Dana Nielsen, Steven Kahrs, Jay Needleman, Dennis Sage and Matthew Petersen.

Medill School: Richard Roth and Douglas Troutman; Kellogg School of Management: David Besanko; School of Law: Rita Winters; McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science: Tom Mason, Beth Abbott and George Nejmeh; Feinberg School of Medicine: Janet Stevens, Anita Chase, Sheri Lindsay, Erin Yale, Jeffrey Tapper and Laurie Daniels.

School of Music: Dorothy Wyandt; Provost's Office: Jean Shedd; Research: Will Higgins, Susan Ross, Susan Hall Perdomo, Chad Roberts, Michael Weis, Deb Chandler, Ruth McCullough and Rob Harper-Mangels.

Students Affairs: Catherine Whitcomb and Jessica Sempek; University Enrollment: Cindy Nash; University Library: Roxanne Sellberg, Laurel Minott, Jeff Garrett, Frank Cervone and Sarah Pritchard; University Relations: Staci Roberts; and Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences: Marvin Lofquist.