FACES OF THE FOUNDATION

An Interview with Robert Toulouse

In preparing the year-end review, the editor of EndowUNT visited with Dr. Robert Toulouse to discuss the history of the UNT Foundation's endowment and why it is critical to the success of the university. Dr. Toulouse has served UNT in numerous capacities for the past 55 years, including the post of vice president and provost. Among the many honors bestowed on him, UNT's graduate school is named in his honor. Now retired, Dr. Toulouse, himself a donor, continues a life of service to UNT as a member of the Foundation's Board of Directors.

Interviewer: Dr. Toulouse, why are endowments so important?
Toulouse: Endowments play a critical role in bringing the brightest students to the campus, especially those who have need and could not be here without scholarship funds. Unfortunately, the UNT Foundation's endowment has not reached the point where it can play a major role in insuring we get the best.

Interviewer: How can it reach that level and who should take the lead in growing the endowment?
Toulouse: All legitimate activities that will increase the endowment should be embraced. But, no alumnus or friend of the university should miss an opportunity to pay back to future students what he or she experienced at UNT. It is a privilege and a duty to do this. The more financial success we have experienced, the more we should give to future generations. Why would you not give back to the institution that led to your success?

Interviewer: In what ways?
Toulouse: There are so many ways to give while maximizing your tax and estate planning, some of which actually assist you in caring for your own family. For example, establishing a remainder trust can provide for a designated family member, while a percentage of it creates reserves for an endowment, such as the University Scholars Fund, which contributes to faculty research. There are many more ways.

As remarkable as the 2003 recovery in the equity markets was, the recent up market has not completely erased the effects of the significant down markets of the previous three years. The Foundation's oldest funds had many years of financial success on which to build reserves, and therefore, they fared better than its newer funds with little or no cushion to weather the downturn. Even so, the newer funds are nearer their historic value--the level that will allow distributions to UNT in the future.

Interviewer: Most people cannot fund an endowment alone. How would small gifts benefit anyone?
Toulouse: All such gifts benefit society — everyone. Just leaving the proceeds of a life insurance policy or gifting stock can ensure valuable discoveries. In my previous roles at UNT, which included administering research funds, I found even a small dollar amount is often the turning point whether a faculty member continues or completes their research. That can mean a great deal to society in the long term.

Interviewer: What was it like in 1948 when you joined UNT’s faculty in contrast to now?
Toulouse: Research projects were much simpler to carry out, but the graduate programs were limited. The resources for both were less costly and funding from outside sources was greater. The cost of and need for laboratories, equipment and facilities have grown geometrically as graduate programs have expanded into new areas and the accompanying research interests of faculty have grown. All this at a time when external funding from government sources and some private sources have declined - in a time when innovation and change come so rapidly. Changes brought about by computers have affected all universities, including UNT.

Interviewer: Do today’s students expect too much?
Toulouse: No. Every student class expects more of their faculty and university, and deservedly so. Society benefits from it. Every generation has expected more than the generation that preceded it. Perhaps today’s students look forward to the day when giving to establish endowments is approached with the same level of enthusiastic support afforded a championship athletic team, and alums receive high recognition for heroic levels of giving.

Interviewer: Since few can give on the scale of, say Bill Gates, what is the answer?
Toulouse: Most of us in our professional careers have invested in vehicles that provided for our personal needs, so we understand the concept. Establishing endowments is a way of investing to provide for all. If all of us gift individually, we may not make headlines, but together our collective gifts make a significant impact. While just a few people can provide huge gifts, say to improve the health of millions, it just may be your smaller gift that provides the continuation of research that eradicates a disease or ends hunger.•
Interview by Phyllis Wolper.

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Website updated: May 19, 2004 · Website comments or corrections: rsimmans@unt.edu