Univ Record 2018

From the Development Director
The Chancellor of the University, Lord Patten of Barnes,
once stated, “This University is an extraordinary triumphant
marriage between scholarship and private philanthropy and
generosity. You walk 100 yards in any direction and you see
that.” One would think he was in fact describing University
College rather than the University of Oxford. We benefit
immensely as an institution because of the continuous care and
loyalty of our Old Members and their generous decisions to
support the College philanthropically.
Our mission is defined clearly in the second item of the College’s recently revised
statutes: “The College’s object is to promote the advance of university education, learning,
and research as a College in the University of Oxford (including maintaining its historic
buildings and other patrimony, pastoral care of its students…).” Old Member benefactors,
both new donors and steadfast contributors, upheld the College’s diverse educational
mission through their gifts in 2017-18. The College had its third highest fundraising year
overall as Old Members generously committed £5.5m in new cash and commitments
throughout the year. This total was a dramatic 25% increase over 2016-17 totals.
Four Old Members and Friends of the College made new six-figure plus commitments
in support of Univ’s key initiatives. Their donations sought to advance the development
of the College’s North Oxford site, the College’s Opportunity Programme for widening
participation, a newly endowed postgraduate studentship in the Humanities, and an
endowed Fellowship. An additional eight Old Members also made new pledges and
outright gifts of £25,000 or more in 2017-18. These significant leadership intentions
augmented each of the core aspects of College life by providing resources for student
support and access, teaching, and for fabric improvements. I wish on behalf of the
College Fellowship to express our gratitude to those individuals who have made those
commitments and to those loyal benefactors who made substantial payments towards
their past pledges to Univ this past year. In particular, I would like to thank James
Anderson (1977, History), Jonathan Bowers (1989, History and Modern Languages),
Philip Gawith (1984, Law), Dr David Frederick (1983, Politics), Penny and Bruns
Grayson (1974, PPE), Emma Matebalavu (1993, Law), the late John Paynter (1972, Law)
and his wife Kym, the late Sir John Swire, CBE (1948, History), Raymond Ting, Vanni
Treves, CBE (1958, Law), and other anonymous donors for their kindness. We are most
grateful for your loyalty and generosity.
Beyond these leadership and major benefactions, the College’s 1249 Society
recognised 317 members in 2017-18. The Society’s 190 senior members kindly contributed
gifts of £1,249 or more to numerous College initiatives including academic prize funds,
academic travel grants, undergraduate bursaries, and dedicated spaces for music making.
Future Univ postgraduates in the Humanities will look to 2017-18 as a special year.
Benefactors generously contributed more than £1 million in directed commitments for
endowed postgraduate studentships. The College once again benefited from the Oxford
Graduate Scholarship Matching Fund (OGSMF) earning an additional £667,000 of
match funding against the £1 million raised from Old Members for scholarships. In the
past six years the College has received more than £13 million in reserved endowment
from the OGSMF scheme, the most of any College in Oxford. The newest endowed
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