Of course the planning process didn't unfold that way. Since we were discussing physical plans rather than policy, the decisions that led to the bad result were questioned but not examined. People usually give money for specific projects, and because of special professors and programs, so faculty cooperation is essential. Faculty can identify potential donors and talk with them, but need to eventually involve the Development Office. Some donors might want to leave money to the university in their wills, or we might want to do so ourselves.
Development can provide information about the best way to do that.
We can work with the central development office or with the unit development offices, though there needs to be some coordination. One Senator said that if faculty felt alienated from the decision making process they were unlikely to participate fully in fund raising. The speaker agreed, but said resolution of that issue was out of her hands. Another raised the question of University Development taking credit for all money raised, even if the contacts and work had been done mostly by others. The speaker agreed that it was poor policy to do so.