What Gives? Perspectives on Philanthropy and Higher Education

July 18, 2011

John O. Harney

Webinar Link

Late last month, NEBHE senior fellow and Massachusetts Board of Higher Education Chair Charles Desmond and I launched a series of interviews with key leaders in New England philanthropy. Our goal was to paint a picture of what philanthropies see as the key issues and challenges facing higher education and how potential funders can have the most meaningful impacts on education in New England.
Our first quests were: George McCully, founder of the Catalogue for Philanthropy; Christine Green, president of the Trefler Foundation; and Meredith Jones, president of the Maine Community Foundation, who joined us by phone. Special thanks to NEBHE Coordinator of Technology and Programs Daren Follweiler, who edited the audio clips.

Here are some of the points the panelists made. (Click on each link below to hear an audio transcript.)

George McCully on …

• The higher education and philanthropy paradigm shift

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_higher_ed_and_philanthropy_paradigm_shifts.mp3

• Higher ed’s business model

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_higher_eds_business_model.mp3

•  Higher education as white-collar vocational training

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_higher_ed_as_white-collar_vocational_school.mp3

• A Cincinnati model for cooperation

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/jones_on_a_cincinnati_model_for_cooperation.mp3

• Education philanthropy not just about money

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/jones_on_higher_ed_philanthropy_not_just_about_money.mp3

Charles Desmond on …

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_new_england_versus_national_foundations.mp3

• Improving education

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_improving_education.mp3

• Skill development

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_skill_development.mp3

• Liberal arts I

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_liberal_arts.mp3

• Liberal arts II

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_return_to_liberal_arts.mp3

• Faculty and tenure

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_higher_ed_reforms.mp3

• Radical restructuring

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/mccully_on_radical_restructuring.mp3

Christine Green on …

• Re-branding the value of higher ed

green_on_being_a_learned_person.mp3

• Intellectual leadership
https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/green_on_intellectual_leadership.mp3

• Corporations abandoning higher ed

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/green_on_corporations.mp3

• Centers of excellence concept
https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/green_on_center_of_excellence_concept.mp3

• Years to earn degree

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/green_on_shortening_degree_programs.mp3

• Is there a system?

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/green_on_should_there_be_a_system.mp3

• Thinking outside the box

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/green_on_outside_the_box_thinking.mp3

Meredith Jones on …

• Changed economic landscape

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/desmond_on_changed_economy.mp3

• Spreading quality
https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/desmond_on_spreading_quality.mp3

• Higher ed tripping over itself

https://www.nebhe.org/info/audio/philanthropy_roundtable/desmond_on_higher_ed_tripping_over_itself.mp3