The University administration petitioned Arch Foundation trustees for increased unrestricted funds and professorship endowments at a meeting Friday.

Administrators explained that unrestricted donations would enable the University to funnel money back into the budget where it is needed most, as the scope of the budget cuts unfolds.

They also encouraged professorship endowments, which are vital leveraging tools in the university-wide competition for hiring and retaining exceptional teachers.

“Public universities strive to keep coveted faculty members,” said Andrew Head, the Foundation’s Vice-Chair. “We are attracting brighter and brighter students and we need to keep challenging them by bringing in better faculty.”

He praised the University’s 75 percent retention rate this year, compared to the University of North Carolina’s 69 percent retention rate.

But Arnett Mace warned that without the buying power of professorships, competing with other Universities for coveted faculty members will become increasingly difficult.

Mace is the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “In times when there is a downturn in the economy, it is important to retain the bright stars,” he said.

Mace explained that three prestigious universities recently were competing over a UGA psychology professor, and because UGA did not have a professorship to offer her, the University lost a valuable asset to the psychology program.

Looking ahead, Mace said, “As we move out of the economic situation and have an opportunity to recruit, that will also require professorships.”

Reflecting on that prospect, Head said, “Arnett has a lot of challenges and salesmanship ahead.”

“A lot of these people do not want to leave here, because of the quality of life we can offer here in Athens. We can be at a financial disadvantage and still hold on to them, but it’s when that gap gets too big, that we start losing them.”

Tom Jackson, vice president for public affairs, addressed the board about a less urgent but equally important issue: maintaining the University’s image through the budget crisis.

Jackson called for a “global look at branding and integrated marketing,” or refining the University’s brand – what differentiates UGA from all other institutions – and promoting that brand effectively across all platforms.

“I realize that I’m talking to a group that came up with the Aflac duck and the Chick-fil-A cow,” said Jackson, referring to specific board members.

He said determining UGA’s brand requires intensive research surveys that may cost up to $150,000.

Jackson gave examples of other schools that recently drove similar campaigns, including the University of Florida, which spent $1 million on marketing research, and the University of Maryland, which spent $300,000.

He said extrapolating the University’s athletic brand might be tempting, but in order for the brand to be successful it must rely on research.

He asked board members for creative and financial help in that initiative, and stressed its importance as a top priority, even in the budget crisis.

A Chick-fil-A executive reinforced Jackson’s plea. “Here we are with a most favorite advertising icon, (the Chick-fil-A cow) and we are engaging in our biggest marketing effort this year,” he said. “If you have a brand asset, you have to keep developing it. You can’t just sit on it.”