Following a record-breaking fiscal year in 2008, the WSU Foundation is experiencing a significant decrease in alumni donations during the past few months.

In December 2007, the WSU Foundation received $12.1 million, said Brenda Wilson-Hale, vice president for University Development and chief executive officer of the WSU Foundation. In December 2008, that figure was $6.7 million.

However, the figure through the first six months of fiscal year 2009, $54.9 million, remains higher than fiscal year 2008 thanks to a $17.5 million donation in October from Gene and Linda Voiland for the School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering.

“Overall impact has not shown up negative, yet,” Wilson-Hale said.

It is too early to tell what effect the decrease will have on specific programs, said Trevor Durham, director of communications with the WSU Foundation, in an e-mail to The Daily Evergreen.

As the WSU Foundation faculty has grown during the past few years, it has become more aggressive in reaching out for donations, Wilson-Hale said.

“We are seeing more people and asking more people,” she said.

However, the university’s hiring freeze has halted faculty expansion.

Despite the slowdown, Wilson-Hale said alumni donations are appreciated and provide a significant boost to the university.

“$6.7 million is still a lot of money,” she said. “We are grateful that in these extraordinary times our Cougar alumni are so helpful.” The WSU Foundation West, based in Seattle, is not making any significant changes in how it’s attempting to reach out to donors, said Ellen Jampol, associate vice president of University Development and executive director of the WSU Foundation West.

The key to bringing in donations is to build relationships and have one-on-one conversations with donors, she said.

“We’re just trying to keep contact with the people who have been loyal to us over the years and to reach out to new people,” she said.

Despite the recent decrease, the WSU Foundation expects donations to be among the highest in university history, Durham said. From 2006 to 2008, the total donations climbed from a little more than $59 million to $148.6 million.

“The relationships we build with people who give to this university are what makes this university,” Wilson-Hale said. “We are very sensitive to the plight of the alumni donators.”