Spring 2012 - University of Buckingham

Your alma mater needs youBy Paul E H DavisAs a schoolboy I attended Brighton College,an independent school in East Sussex withan enviable reputation for academicexcellence and superb extra-curricularactivities.After I left, the Headmaster wrote toall Old Brightonians with an unbelievablysimple scheme. He wanted us to agree topay, each month, the princely sum of £7 –annually, the grand total of £84. Like manyof my friends, I questioned the amountrequested as it seemed, quite frankly,a ridiculously small amount each month.In Brighton, it would be the equivalent toabout three coffees, or two hours’ parking!So, what was it for? Brighton Collegehad linked up to a school in an extremelydeprived area of East London. TheHeadmaster wanted to use the money raisedto provide three boarding scholarships ayear to disadvantaged but worthy students.Brighton College was inundated with directdebits from Old Brightonians because theamount requested was so small thateverybody agreed to pay and everybody feltthat they wanted to pay back. Do you feelthat way? I do and you should. The result,after two years, was that all six students onthe scholarships went on to Oxford andCambridge.This proves that small amounts froma large number of people really can work.If you were to give to your alma materin the same way, it would help it to raisethe money it needs for improvements.The University of Buckingham needs yourhelp; it needs money or, more specifically,endowments.Today, it is easy to think that all is wellwith our University and that a bright futureis assured – so perhaps former students donot need to do much. Everything seems tobe going our way: the purchase of the RightBank site the other side of the River GreatOuse, a substantial increase in studentnumbers, our continued success in theNational Student Survey, positive newscoverage – and, of course, the problemsbeing experienced by our competitors inthe state-subsidised sector.The talk of more markets in highereducation, students paying their way andshorter degree courses makes peoplebelieve that the Government has finallyseen the light, and will commit itself tothe creation of an English equivalent tothe Ivy League in the USA which containsuniversities like Harvard and Yale.Sadly, that is unlikely. We have to facethe fact that rough times lie ahead. We areindependent and that means, ultimately,we are alone. As our motto says, “we fly onWe need to build upour endowment so that,if and when, the goodtimes turn, theUniversity will be ableto weather the stormour own wings”, but that means that wecan soar upwards or come crashing down.We may be experiencing relatively goodtimes now but Buckingham has seen manyups and downs in the last 25 years. Noneof us knows what the future holds.As alumni, we all benefited from what is,in all but name, an Oxbridge education.Small groups and even one-to-one teachingare the norm, not the exception; and accessto lecturers – as well as administrativestaff – has always been easy.We need to build up our endowment sothat, if and when, the good times turn, theUniversity will be able to weather the storm.I was at the University in the early 1990swhen we thought we would simply go fromstrength to strength, but I was also there afew years later when things went wrong andstudent numbers fell because the marketconditions changed.This is why I want you to donate moneyto our alma mater. It does not need to bea lot but it would be helpful if it were regular.We need to build up a war fund.I am putting my money where my mouthis. I support the University throughscholarships, exhibitions, and prizes andthrough the Pioneer Fund where I give asum of money each month. And I can tellyou this: seeing people who would not havebeen able to enter higher education cometo the University and succeed is the mostrewarding experience in the world. Try ityourself because you won’t regret it.I leave you with the thought that it istime to give something back; after all, if theUniversity fails and no longer exists, wheredoes that leave our degrees?Get involved with the refurbishment of theRadcliffe Centre and become, quite literally,a part of the fabric of our University by“buying” a chair in the renovated lecturetheatre. Or what about setting up ascholarship scheme, or just committingto give a small amount every month, say £10(a mere £120 per year) – or more if you can?Something even simpler, the officers of theUniversity of Buckingham Alumni Associationgive their precious time free to raise fundsfor the University. Please support theirefforts. The future of our alma mater is inyour hands.If you would like to sign up to the PioneerFund and give £67 a month to the University,please contact the Director of Development,Lucy Hodges on +44 (0)1280 82011520 The Independent