President Theobald announced the appointment of a new vice president to lead the university’s fundraising office last week after a search committee drew discontent from administrators over a controversial candidate.
James Dicker will assume the role of senior vice president for institutional advancement pending approval of the the university’s Board of Trustees. Dicker will oversee the university’s expanding fundraising outreach programs.
The announcement came days after The Temple News reported that Theobald removed another top candidate for the position, Matt Kupec, after he received internal backlash stemming from his resignation from a similar position at the University of North Carolina– Chapel Hill in 2012.
Kupec, who served as vice chancellor at UNC, resigned after it was found that he used close to $17,000 of university money to fund 14 personal trips with his girlfriend, fellow university employee Tamara Hansborough.
Dicker served for the past 12 years as vice president of development and college relations at Lafayette College. According to a press release issued by the university, Dicker has more than 25 years of fundraising experience.
“Jim Dicker understands the tremendous difference that private giving can make at an institution of higher education,” Theobald said in the release. “He is a skillful administrator who will ensure that Temple University continues to strengthen its development profile.”
Dicker comes to Temple as the university is preparing to build upon the already increased fundraising initiatives enacted by Theobald. Burgeoned by marketing campaigns like Temple Made, the university brought in a record $65.8 million in new gifts and pledges in 2013. However, in recent years the alumni giving rate has stagnated to around 7 percent, well below fellow state-related institutions like the University of Pittsburgh, which has a rate of 35 percent, and Penn State, with a 30 percent giving rate.
In addition to the $65.8 million, Trustee Lewis Katz pledged a record-setting gift of $25 million, which has yet to be delivered or set aside for a specific purpose.
Dicker, a Lafayette alumn, was made assistant director of its Annual Fund in 1988 before moving up the ranks to become director of development of alumni affairs in 1997. In that position, Dicker led a $213 million fundraising drive that went over its two-year estimates.
In his most recent position at Lafayette, Dicker oversaw an additional $400 million comprehensive capital campaign.
Dicker replaces Tilghman Moyer, who has served as the interim senior vice president of institutional advancement after David Unruh resigned in 2012 due to an administrative shift that was a result of Theobald’s arrival at the university.
John Moritz can be reached at john.moritz@temple.edu or on Twitter at @JCMoritzTU.
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