Today, York officially launches its newest administrative unit, the Division of Advancement.
Comprising Alumni Relations, Development, and Advancement Services, the Division of Advancement is chiefly responsible for building York’s relationships with its alumni, donor and volunteer communities. Development now assumes the functions of York University Foundation while Advancement Services will continue to manage databases and information.
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| Above: The Lorna R. Marsden Honour Court on the Keele campus |
“I am very excited about the establishment of the new Division of Advancement,” said York President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri. “Building connections and encouraging investment is important, especially as York is moving forward to become the leading university in Canada. This new model creates new ways of doing things and is going to serve us well as we work to enhance the culture of philanthropy and friend raising at York.”
According to Senior Director of Alumni Relations James Allan, the new division makes the pursuit of these goals easier. “There are overlaps that naturally occur between these groups so bringing advancement functions together allows us to work smarter and to provide better service to each of these constituencies,” he said.
Lisa Gleva, director of Principal Gifts & University Development, agrees that the time is right for the move. “We’ve gotten to the point where we’ve built tremendous capacity vertically in all three areas – fundraising, alumni relations and management of information – and can now best get to the next level by fostering synergies among the three.”
All three functions will remain in their present location in the West Office Building on Keele Campus. Any inquiries about the new division or about business processes that may be affected by the transition can be directed to the Division of Advancement at 416-736-9675 or contact@yorku.ca.
A search for a Vice-President, Advancement is underway following the announcement that Paul Marcus, former president & CEO of York University Foundation, would be stepping down. Leanne Kipfer, director of Advancement Services, along with Gleva and Allan are leading the division at present until the vice-president vacancy is filled.