The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Fewer Alumni Give to College

The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Fewer Alumni Give to College: "Fewer Alumni Give to College
Percentage of alumni who contribute is lowest since 1989
Published On Friday, November 18, 2005 3:05 AM
By NICHOLAS M. CIARELLI and ALEXANDER H. GREELEY
Crimson Staff Writers
The percentage of Harvard alumni who donate to the College has declined steadily since 2001 and hit a 16-year low last fiscal year, according to data provided by the University.

That figure, known as the “participation rate,” now stands at 40 percent—the lowest rate since 1989. The rate fluctuated throughout the 1990s, peaking most recently in 2001 when it reached 48 percent.

Vice President for Alumni Affairs and Development Donella M. Rapier said Harvard has compared its numbers to eight peer institutions, and participation rates have recently declined at four. Three schools have maintained constant rates, and one school’s rate has increased.

Princeton University is considered a leader in alumni participation; according to its website, its rate is unchanged since 2001 at about 59 percent. "