Chancellor Stacy and Vice Chancellor Richard Brown present check for $102,002 to United Way representative.

UTC Goes Over the Top in United Way Giving

Faculty, staff and students have joined together to boost the UTC 2002 United Way offering to $102,000, far surpassing this year’s goal of $88,000. UTC faculty and staff celebrated this humanitarian victory at the Campus Holiday Open House in the McKenzie Arena.

"To go thousands of dollars over the goal is unheard of in this economy," said Janice McRae of the United Way. "Initially, we thought it would be a stretch to reach the goal of $88,000. So when the University passed $100,000, we thought it was amazing to see people really stretch," McRae said.

McRae said she believes people at UTC realize that they themselves may one day need any one of the 41 agencies supported by the United Way.

Chancellor Bill Stacy revealed that 41 UTC leadership givers made contributions of $1,000 or more, 81 honors givers contributed between $300-$1,000 and 47 units on campus boasted 100 percent participation.

Richard Brown, Vice Chancellor of Finance and Operations commended the efforts of the Executive Committee who served as campaign co-chairs, and United Way committee members who launched a new idea for giving this year. UTC UBAY, an on-line auction, allowed bidding wars over donated items. "We made $1, 638 on UBAY, and $42 selling leftover items in a rummage sale," according to Julia Cronin, UTC United Way Employee Representative.

Four lucky faculty members returned their United Way Pledge Card before November 5, and each had their name selected in drawings for DVD players. They are: Daniel Hyams, SimCenter ; Ann Chien, Nursing; Allison Cardwell, Development and Stephen Kuhn, Mathematics.

A donation to the Student Government Association Student United Way Drive allowed eligibility to win one of two laptop computers, and Tina Price and Laura Johnson, both residence hall students and freshmen, were the winners.

"Student donations to the United Way have tripled since the students began giving two years ago. Lockmiller Apartments came in with the highest donations in UTC Housing, and the residents can celebrate with a pizza party," according to Persephone Burnett, Residence Life Coordinator at UTC.

In 2001, UTC ranked 40th in the nation among colleges and universities giving to United Way.