For the fifth consecutive year, donors have set a new record for private support of UC Davis. The campus received $77.4 million between July 1, 2000, and June 30, 2001, an increase of 7 percent over the gift total for fiscal year 2000. The increase occurred despite the economic slowdown that began last fall.

The news comes just weeks after the campus announced the largest single gift in its history, a $35 million contribution from Robert Mondavi and his wife, Margrit. The Mondavi gift will be included in totals for the next fiscal year.

Chancellor Larry Vanderhoef said that he appreciates the commitment of those who elect to make a gift to the university during uncertain economic times.

"I know that many of our alumni and friends had to make tough choices about where to invest their discretionary dollars," Vanderhoef said. "The fact that so many of them chose to help support UC Davis students, faculty, departments and community outreach programs is a source of great pride for the university. I am grateful to each and every one of them."

More than 32,700 individuals, corporations and other organizations contributed to UC Davis in 2001. Alumni (12,800) and other individuals (15,700) accounted for $26.1 million, or 34 percent, of the gift total. Some 3,300 corporations gave $21.4 million (28 percent) of the total, while 330 private foundations accounted for $19.7 million, or 25 percent.

Vanderhoef noted that the number of alumni donors grew by 270, and they made 560 more gifts than last year.

The year's private support included $55.8 million in cash, $6.7 million in securities and just over $12.1 million in pledged commitments. There were eight gifts of $1 million or more and 131 gifts of $100,000 and up.

"The importance of private support to UC Davis continues to increase," Vanderhoef said. "Ten years ago, gifts to campus amounted to less than $29 million. Gifts and grants are now a significant resource for many of the university's programs and top priorities. For example, of the $300 million campus total for faculty research contracts and grants, $27.7 million were from gifts."

Donors also gave $26.8 million to academic departments, $8.5 million for student financial aid and $8 million for campus improvements. One and a half million dollars, primarily from the campus's Annual Fund and Chancellor's Club, were unrestricted in purpose.

Four new endowed chairs were among the gifts to campus: the Michael W. Chapman Chair in Orthopaedics, the Gordon Wong Endowed Professorship in Pulmonary and Critical Care, the Barbara K. Jackson Chair in Orchestral Conducting, and the Ray B. Krone Professorship in Environmental Engineering. The new gifts raise the total number of funds for endowed faculty chairs and professorships to 64.

Virginia Hinshaw, provost and executive vice chancellor, said that UC Davis' traditional areas of expertise received strong support again this year, while several other academic programs also increased their fund-raising totals.

The School of Veterinary Medicine received $19 million, $4 million more than last year and the largest dollar increase on campus. The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences raised $15.8 million, and the health sciences divisions received $12.8 million.

"The generous folks supporting UC Davis obviously recognize the excellence of many different academic programs on our campus," Hinshaw said. "Their actions are an impressive endorsement of our strength as a comprehensive university. We deeply appreciate their support, which will enable us to build on that strength for the future."

The School of Law increased its gift receipts by 47 percent, the largest proportional change on campus, raising more than $297,000 for the year.

The Division of Biological Sciences, which launched its "Opportunities for Distinction" campaign in September 2000, increased its gift total by nearly $577,000; the Institute for Transportation Studies raised nearly $245,000 more in 2001, a 21 percent increase; while the library's private support climbed by 45 percent, athletics' by 42 percent, and UC Davis Presents' by 22 percent.