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Launched on 21 January with the tag-line ‘sustaining excellence’ and spearheaded by the Vice-Chancellor Dr Saleem Badat, the Rhodes University Annual Fund is a fundraising appeal to the Rhodes community to play their part in ensuring the future of the University.
The trend at Universities all over the world is that Alumni are already or will soon become the most significant financial supporters of their Alma mater. For example, at some of the well known USA private universities it is estimated that over 70% of their income from donations is provided by their Alumni. As government subsidies, in real terms dwindle, and the pressures of inflation become more and more extreme, many South African Universities are now introducing similar programmes as a means of boosting their income.
The Rhodes appeal will encourage as many alumni as possible to contribute to the best of their ability on a regular and on-going basis. By asking for affordable contributions from a large donor pool there is a greater opportunity for all alumni to help the University grow from strength to strength.
The appeal is not project specific and so alumni have the opportunity to give to areas of the University in which they have a real interest and about which they care.