The purpose of this study was to ascertain the relationship of a college publication, the Ball State Alumnus, and selected variables on the amount of financial support provided to a university by the graduates. The data for analysis were obtained from survey instruments designed for this study and were administered to 555 Bachelor of Arts degree recipients who in 1969-70, had given a monetary contribution to Ball State University.The final population numbered 495 alumni, ten of whom were eliminated for various reasons. Analyzing the survey instrument data was accomplished by a computor programed for the chi square test of independence. To be significant, the results had to fall within .01 or .05 level of probability.The research was planned to answer sixteen questions. The variables considered for comparison with the amount of monetary contribution to a university by its alumni included the following: age; sex; marital status; reading quantity of publication; time spent reading publication; number of readers in family; reasons for contributing (affective dimension); occupational status of alumni; total family income; recency of alumni graduation; number of family members who graduated or attended the university; promotion of the university to high school students, businessmen, and Congressmen and State Legislators; and campus visitations. Contributions were categorized as follows: $1 to $9; $10 to $24; $25 to $49; $50 to $99; and $100 to $499. A comparison was made of each respondent's age and time spent reading the publication as well.Of the sixteen null hypotheses examined, seven were sustained and nine were rejected.Review of data lead to the following conclusions:The amount of financial contribution given to a university by its alumni was not influenced by the reading or nonreading the alumni magazine, Ball State Alumnus. Furthermore, the length of time spent reading the publication did not influence the amount given to the institution by the graduates.Whether other family members of the alumni read or did not read the publication had little influence on the financial contribution given to the university by the alumni. The recency of graduation did not influence the amount of contribution given to their alma mater. Age of the contributor was not a factor in the amount of support. Furthermore, the marital status of contributing alumni was not an influencing factor on amount of financial support to the university.Promoting the university to high school students was not a factor in the amount of contribution given to the institution by its alumni.The affective dimension of support had a relationship with the amount of contribution provided to the university by graduates.Occupation of alumni was an influence on the amount of contribution provided the institution by its alumni. Furthermore, the yearly family income of donating alumni influenced the amount of monetary support given to the institution.A relationship existed between the amount of financial support provided the university by donating graduates and number of family members attending or graduating from the institution. The amount of contribution given to the university and the gender of contributing alumni had a relationship.A relationship existed between: amount of contribution provided the institution by its donating alumni and informing businessmen of the advantages available at Ball State University. Furthermore, a relationship existed between the amount provided the university and discussing the university needs with Congressmen and State Legislators.The number of visitations to the campus by its donating alumni had a relationship with amount of monetary support provided the university by graduates. Finally, a relationship existed between the alumni age category and the reading time devoted to the publication.

There is no abstract available for this dissertation.

Thesis (D. Mus. Arts)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 88-91).

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