The Office of External Relations and the Alumni Association just finished a three-year, $10 million fundraising campaign.

Alumni donated more than expected.

The campaign resulted in over $11 million, said Karla Evans, executive director of development, at Tuesday’s Faculty Senate meeting.

The Alumni Association consists of nearly 3,500 members who receive a magazine containing stories and facts about Eastern, said Steve Rich, director of alumni services.

This is done in order to keep alumni engaged, he said.

The association provides opportunities for alumni to get together and meet face to face with members of External Relations through receptions and events such as a tailgating party for the Eastern vs. University of Illinois football game this weekend, Rich said.

Holding these events do cost money, but the chair of Faculty Senate, Assege HaileMariam, understands “you have to give a little to get a little.”

Alumni support is important to the university, said Jill Nilsen, vice president for external relations.

The campaign helped Eastern to surpass the national average of 7.1 percent of alumni supporters, with 8.97 percent of Eastern’s alumni making donations to the university, Evans said.

The Alumni Association’s goal is to reach double digits next year, Evans said.

Evans said that 98 percent of the fees given by alumni are restricted for a certain purpose at their requests.

The money is distributed to three main areas on campus, with 26 percent going to infrastructure, which enhances the quality of education, 27 percent to annual operations and 47 percent to endowments, which is a grant or gift, Evans said.

The senate was pleased with the end results of the campaign.

“We are moving in a positive direction by getting alumni more engaged,” said senate member and biological sciences professor Bud Fischer.

Senate member and recreation administration professor John Pommier agreed saying, “You guys (External Relations) are understaffed and yet extremely efficient.”

Through the efforts of a staff of 50 students making phone calls 38 weeks a year to alumni and special appeals to married couples, the association made an average of $40 a donation, said Jonathan McKenzie, assistant director of alumni services.

What started as a revenue base annual fund of $140,000 about three years ago has increased to $250,000, making a jump of $110,000, McKenzie said.

The senate also announced the Faculty Senate Luncheon, which will be at 11:30 today. New and old members of the faculty are encouraged to attend.

The next Faculty Senate meeting will be held at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Sep. 9, in Room 4220 in Booth Library.