Fund raising has become a regular part of a dean’s job at Ohio State.State legislatures are supporting universities less, said Jerry May, vice president for Development. Universities must adapt to these changes and secure private donations to remain competitive, he said. “If we want to be a distinctive institution, we want to be sure we are bringing in new resources,” May said.OSU raised $170.4 million in the 1995-96 academic year, May said.Deans spend anywhere from 5 percent to 20 percent of their time fund raising, he said. May said deans may be spending more time fund raising than in the past, but they are still taking care of their other duties, he said. “Deans are not neglecting anything, they are managing smarter,” he said. Some people are concerned that deans are being rated mainly on their ability to fund raise, according to a recent article in The Chronicle of Higher Education. It is an important aspect of the job, but it is not the only consideration for deans at OSU, he said.Nancy Zimpher, dean of education administration, said that she probably spends one-third of her time fund raising. Because she has many other responsibilities, she said she tries to combine her fund raising with those duties. When she is traveling to meet a potential donor, she may also meet with alumni or secure research opportunities for faculty and students, she said.Deans are the best people to make contact with potential donors because it makes OSU more personal, May said. They are the best people to explain the vision and goals of their college because they are the people who shape that vision, he said. Zimpher said the benefits of fund raising reach beyond a dean’s college and OSU. Fund raising helps the campus revitalization project and work with local school districts.Zimpher said OSU has an ambitious fund-raising goal, perhaps the highest in the country. Her personal goal for her college is $25 million for 1997. She said she has reached 40 percent of the goal so far.OSU is doing well in fund raising, May said. OSU is one of the top fund-raisers in the country, both in public and private universities, he said. Only two other schools in the Big Ten rank higher than OSU. May said a college at OSU will suffer if it does not raise the necessary money. General funds supported by OSU will help the college if it fails to meet the standards, he said. Donations to other colleges are not transferable because about 95 percent of the time, donors designate the use of the donations, May said. Just because a college may have a lower percentage of donations, it doesn’t mean the dean is not good at fund raising, May said. Some colleges have a better chance to get donations because it is a popular college. “Some colleges just have wealthier prospects,” May said.