Message from the President

The faculty is the heart of Miami University. The excellence of a Miami education rests on our ability to recruit, retain, and support highly qualified teachers and scholars. I invite you to join The Miami University Campaign For Love and Honor and to commemorate our Bicentennial by helping Miami reach an ambitious goal of 100 endowed faculty positions by December 2010.

David C. Hodge
President

P.S. We'd love for you to share with us your memories of your favorite professors. Click here to share your story and to view some alumni reflections of the faculty members who made a difference in their lives.

Professorships Initiative

Endowing a professorship, faculty chair, or librarianship enables Miami to cultivate a faculty that includes the world’s most outstanding scholars. Each endowment will provide:

As Miami approaches its 200th year, alumni and friends are invited to preserve the importance of this historic moment by making a meaningful contribution to Miami’s future. Creating a Professorship Fund will provide teaching and scholastic excellence to Miami students for the next two centuries.

Ordinarily, a commitment of $400,000 is required to create a professorship or $1 million to fund a faculty chair. To encourage the creation of Professorships, Chairs, and Librarianships, donors who commit $300,000 or $900,000 respectively, will, for a limited time, receive a $100,000 match from the Miami University Foundation.

Frequently asked Questions:

Who is eligible to participate in this program?
All alumni and friends of Miami University are eligible to participate.

Can I name the professorship?
Yes. You can name it for yourself, honor a family member, teacher, colleague, friend, or for the academic area you wish to support.

What are the minimum funding levels necessary to create a professorship or faculty chair under the matching program?
Professorships can be created with a minimum $300,000 commitment while Faculty Chairs require a gift of $900,000. Matching funds of $100,000 will be applied once the donor’s pledge payments have reached the minimum thresholds.

Can additional positions at the university be endowed using this program?
Yes. Endowed Librarianships can be created with a minimum commitment of $300,000 and Deanships with a minimum commitment of $4.9 million.

How is Miami able fund the matching program?
The Miami University Foundation has set aside a pool of other unrestricted funds given generously to the university by friends and alumni as a means to fund the program. Currently, Miami has sufficient funds to match 20 new professorship or faculty chair commitments.

Can I designate my professorship’s academic area?
Yes. You may determine the program, department, or division for your professorship. You may also create university-wide professorships that will be awarded by the Provost and President.

How can I fund a new professorship endowment?
Miami University accepts commitments of cash, stock, or payroll deduction.

Can I make my gift or pledge payments with a credit card?
Yes. Miami currently accepts Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express.

Can I join with others to fund a professorship?
Yes. For this special program you can partner with friends, family members, or other individuals to create a new endowment.

Can others contribute to the fund I create?
Yes. However, you must fulfill your minimum commitment before the university match is awarded and a faculty member can be appointed.

Can I create a new endowment by naming Miami in my will?
You may use a bequest commitment to supplement an already-established endowment, but not to create a new one using this program. Once your initial commitment is fulfilled through cash or securities, however, you can give to your new fund through planned gifts.

What is the limit on matching funds from Miami?
The maximum match per endowment is $100,000.

When will matching funds from Miami be applied to my gift?
As soon as you have contributed a minimum of $300,000 to your fund, the $100,000 match will be applied to your endowment.

How much money will my new endowment provide for a faculty member holding my endowed position?
Under current spending policy, a $400,000 endowment (your initial $300,000, plus the $100,000 University match) would provide approximately $18,000 for the faculty holder each year. A faculty chair endowment will produce approximately $45,000 in yearly support. As the fund grows, so does the amount of annual support. Endowments continue in perpetuity.

Can gifts made previously be moved into a new matchable fund?
Yes; however, the program applies to new commitments made after July 1, 2006.

Will my gift qualify for other university matching programs?
No. This program is separate from other matching initiatives.

How long do I have to take part in this program?
This new endowment program will be available for the duration of The Miami University Campaign For Love and Honor, scheduled for completion in December 2010.