When UW-Madison alumni get a call from the University of Wisconsin Foundation's Telefund, they receive a call with a purpose.
Telefund raised just over $4.15 million last year in alumni donations and aims to raise $4.3 million in 2005, said Telefund Assistant Director Michael Holland.
The organization helps to alleviate the funding gap between university needs and what the cost of UW-Madison's tuition and allocated state resources provide. It has raised over $47 million for UW-Madison since 1983 to offset costs and offer new resources for the university, according to its website.
Telefund, a team of UW-Madison students who telephone alumni to ask for donations, developed from the idea that alumni should be involved in offsetting this discrepancy, Holland said.
\One of the best ways is to reach out to all of them,"" he said.
Including all materials, the cost to educate one UW-Madison student for one year averages approximately $12,000, according to UW-Madison Chancellor John Wiley.
Tuition for Wisconsin residents is slightly less than half of that $12,000 amount, Wiley explained, and slightly more than twice that amount for out-of-state students.
""Things like Telefund make up the rest,"" he said.
While donors can choose to give to specific UW-Madison schools or colleges, Telefund tries to raise as much unrestricted support as possible, Holland said.
""These donations go into a dean's discretionary fund, so the dean can use the money for whatever the most pressing needs are at the time in the university,"" he explained.
Because of the amount of unrestricted donations, much of the organization's fundraising goes to support scholarships and technology, areas that need particular attention right now, Holland said.
When fully staffed, the organization employs approximately 120 students, some of whom have worked their way up to authoritative positions.
Brad Green and Angie Wenzel, both UW-Madison seniors, started at Telefund their freshman years and now share a full-time salary assistant director position.
""It's an awesome experience, because a lot of people come through here; you meet a lot of students,"" Green said.
Wenzel shares his enthusiasm.
""This is probably something that I most likely want to continue doing for a few years,"" Wenzel said. ""In the future [I would enjoy] doing something similar, like philanthropy work, like working for the American Cancer Society, research funding, stuff like that.""
Telefund, located at 1848 University Ave., currently hires at $9 per hour, with a minimum of 10.5 hours and three shifts a week.
