Development and External Relations Update

The Development and External Relations office UPDATE is a monthly summary of activities in the section and is published for your general information. If you have questions, please contact Jim Goit or call at (902) 893-7950

• The NSAC Foundation had it's semi annual meeting and agreed to the fund raising strategy for the upcoming year. We will be concentrating on building our endowments with several campaign including our first phone-a-thon.
• Completed redraft of Terms of reference for NSAC Foundation Investment committee and posted to website.
• Completed database of all funds managed by NSAC Foundation and Alumni Association and forwarded for comment and suggestions. This will be part of the eventually agreement between the two organizations and will be used to update the classify the information on the Datatel information system.
• Jim hosted a meeting with John Harvie, CEO of CO-Op Atlantic and had discussions with Philip and Bernie MacDonald. There was a tour of campus and visits with Bruce Rathgeber and Steve Russell and Lauranne Sandeson. There will be follow-up with Business and Social Science Department re skills requirements for employees and potential to incorporate into class work.
• Completed preparations for second century Endowment campaign including set up of phone center, selection of manager, recruitment of student callers, design of letter head and envelopes, completion of appeal letter and preparation of database for both appeal letter and calling cards.
• Joanne and Jim met with the new audit team for the Foundation accounts and completed the first run through of a pre audit from the Datatel system. Some changes in process were identified however the process seems to work well.
• Jim hosted a meeting with Harold Cook, Dean of Medical School at Dalhousie. Harold is an NSAC alumni. In a meeting with Dr. Hicks and Leslie MacLaren there was discussion on ideas for closer collaboration on research and teaching.
• Jim accompanied Dr. Hicks to the Atlantic Agricultural Coordination Council (AACC) annual meeting in Moncton. A presentation on NSAC was made by Dr Hick to the top leaders in government in the region. A follow up meeting of provincial Deputies is planned for the spring.
• Jim and Bernie met with John Sullivan regarding a project to extend the campus IT network to AgriTECH park in the very near future. It will be largely wireless.
• There were several meeting of the Development team to plan centennial events. Plans are evolving to include more partners and events. The website was updated.
• There were several meeting of the group planning the renovation to the Blueberry website that has been managed by Jim since inception. There is a proposal being developed by Bonnie at the library to expand the scope of the sites offerings.