Exeter College Donors' Report p

EXETER COLLEGE DONORS’ REPORT | 09EXETER COLLEGE DONORS’ REPORT | 09Leavers’ GiftOnce again this year, a large numberof students in their final year decidedto make a gift to the Annual Fund,with encouragement from EmilyBall (2005, Engineering). Emily sentemails, put up posters and asked hercontemporaries at the Annual Leavers’Dinner to make a modest contributionto the Annual Fund.56%of the departing undergraduates(and some graduates and Williamsstudents) donated a total of £559.This year’s Leavers’ participation ratewas the highest ever achieved, and only 3other Old Member year groups reachedsuch a participation rate this year.We are very grateful to the two OldMembers who have again supported theshow of commitment by these students,by matching, pound for pound, what thestudents raised. This pledge of matchedsupport was a great incentive to thestudents to give what they could.This achievement by a group ofstudents, most of whom did not evenhave a job at the time, is a clearindication that current studentsunderstand the importance of givingback to Exeter, even if they cannotafford more than £5. These are thenext generation of philanthropists whowill continue to lead by example.We hope that this tradition continuesfor many years yet, and that all our OldMembers will join current studentsin making a gift – however modest –and, in so doing, help to increase notonly the value of the Annual Fund butalso the participation rate for eachmatriculation year group.Why Give?Government grants and tuition feesbarely meet half the true costs of anExeter student’s education, due tothe intensive and thus expensive formof teaching that is the tutorial.To make up the shortfall, Exeter mustheavily subsidise the costs of teachingand non-academic provision for eachundergraduate from its endowmentand by raising additional income,primarily by hosting conferences inthe summer vacation.In the current uncertain financialclimate, the need for support ofour students is even greater, as therecession hits students and theirfamilies, reducing their ability tofund their study at Exeter. Reducedendowment returns due to difficultmarket conditions mean that regularincome through the Annual Fund iseven more vital to ensuring that theCollege can fulfil its commitment toworld class education.Over the coming years we hope toincrease the Old Member participationrate to 30% and to raise £500,000 forthe Annual Fund each year. Every giftmade to the College in the periodleading up to 2014, including to theAnnual Fund, will be counted towardsthe Exeter Excelling Campaign.Ensuring AcademicExcellenceExeter is committed to the belief thatthe personal and unique experience ofthe tutorial, given by leading academicswho are actively engaged in research,is the finest form of teaching thatcan be offered to undergraduates.“The Oxford tutorial system is,in my opinion, the most important thing toset Oxford apart from most other universities.An hour in a tutorial is worth 10 hours inlectures or classes. For me, the tutorial wasthe single most important part of myOxford education.”DAVE HANDLEY (1991, ENGINEERING)8 9