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Private gifts to MUSC up during national downturn It was an off-the-cuff wager, made half in jest. A wager that Jim Fisher, the university’s vice president for development, thought he’d never have to make good on. Jim Fisher sports his new pink hair. He is pictured with Dr. Ray Greenberg during the MUSC President's Council meeting. “If the Medical University receives $30 million in private donations this year,” he told his staff last spring, “I’ll color my hair pink. Not only that, I’ll make my annual fund-raising report to the President’s Council with pink hair.” Last week, the Development Office held Fisher to his promise.  He appeared at Wednesday’s meeting of the President’s Council with bright pink hair to report the good news. Grateful patients, alumni, employees and other supporters had indeed given more than $30 million in donations to the Medical University during fiscal 2001-2002, helping it achieve its most successful fund-raising year to date.  The year’s fund-raising total represented an annual growth rate of 20 percent, contrasting sharply with giving trends nationwide.  Nationally, giving fell 2.3 percent last year after adjusting for inflation, according to the American Association of Fundraising Counsel Trust for Philanthropy. Health care organizations were especially hard hit, reporting a 4.8 percent decline in private donations. Fisher said that such declines are not unusual during recession years. Sharp increases, however, are extraordinary. “When we set a $30 million goal last July, we felt it was a challenging but realistic goal,” Fisher said. “But everything changed on Sept. 11. To be honest, we were prepared for a dip. For the community to have supported us at this level is amazing, and truly humbling.”  University President Ray Greenberg, M.D., Ph.D., who works closely with the Development Office, attributed the year’s fund-raising success to a combination of factors.  “In a broad sense, I think this was a year when people paid greater attention to those organizations that were close to home—organizations that they believed were important to the state and community,” Greenberg said.  In addition, he said, the university has been engaged in two high-profile capital campaigns—one to raise a new dental facility and another to build the Children’s Research Institute. “These are two causes that people feel very strongly about, and they chose to express that support through philanthropy.”  Greenberg also credited employees for their of support of the Medical University, which exceeded $601,000 during the year.  “I am especially proud of our staff and faculty,” Greenberg said.  “The fact that they support our mission not only with their service but also with their dollars means a great deal to me personally and to the Medical University as an institution.”  Finally, he said that strong leadership among the university’s many boards played a key role.  “People would not invest in the Medical University at this level without a great deal of confidence in us,” Greenberg said.  “I believe this confidence is largely due to the dedicated service and proven leadership represented on our various boards, as well as on our development team. We are most fortunate to have people of this caliber working on our behalf.”  Catalyst Online is published weekly, updated as needed and improved from time to time by the MUSC Office of Public Relations for the faculty, employees and students of the Medical University of South Carolina. Catalyst Online editor, Kim Draughn, can be reached at 792-4107 or by email, catalyst@musc.edu. Editorial copy can be submitted to Catalyst Online and to The Catalyst in print by fax, 792-6723, or by email to petersnd@musc.edu or catalyst@musc.edu. To place an ad in The Catalyst hardcopy, call Community Press at 849-1778.