Fund Race: The Ivy Walls of Green

San Diego State University is looking to close a slightly different kind of deal than that of the political variety. With Democratic governor Jerry Brown warning of severe cuts to taxpayer-subsidized education unless voters approve his Proposition 30 tax-hike measure, the school is advertising for a “Director of Out-of-State and Specialized Recruitment.” The prospect of future boosts in resident tuition and drastic cuts to faculty has spawned a desire to import more non-California students, who cough up premium rates for their education. The university’s new hire will be responsible for “implementing and leading recruitment plans for out-of-state applicants to increase the number of out-of-state enrolled students,” the job notice says.

Other tasks will be “managing the development of marketing campaigns to include print, advertising, direct mail, etc., for specialized recruitment unit; working with the Communications Unit to create successful marketing campaigns and communication plans for out-of- state and Presidential Scholars; [and] developing social media campaigns to effectively communicate information to prospective students.” Experience in developing “recruitment plans to increase the numbers of qualified applicants and overall admission yields for specialized groups” is preferred. The monthly salary range is between $4373 and $6238, with applicant evaluations starting this week.

Not to lose out in the fundraising derby, the University of California San Diego wants an “Associate Director of Development, Physical Sciences.” Applicants must furnish evidence of “Proven success as a development officer in a highly sophisticated donor-centered fundraising environment as a direct-line fundraiser with five years or more of experience.” Specifically, the school is looking for a “Proven record of writing proposals for a significant project/gift ($25,000+) directed to individual and foundations/corporations” and “Knowledge of the principles and practices of public relations.”

Those who aren’t skilled at schmoozing may want to head off in a different direction and apply to become treasurer and chief financial officer of the San Diego Unified Port District. “The incumbent is expected to make high-level decisions within general policy guidelines and utilize exemplary judgment, discretion and analytical skills on matters that are critical to the financial success of the District.” Given the high level of education and experience expected, the pay seems surprisingly low: between $134,784 and $183,643 a year.