Attitudes Toward University Communication: Applying and Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior

The percentage of alumni who donate to their university has been declining for more than 25 years. This paper applies the proven theory of planned behavior to shed new insight on what factors influence alumni's decision whether or not to donate to their university. Nearly 1,500 non-donor alumni of a large, mid-Atlantic research university were surveyed. The study found that 36.6% of the difference in intent to donate was explained by a combination of attitudes, beliefs about what other people do or think should be done, perceptions of control, past donation behavior to other nonprofits, experience while in college, and ongoing communication with the university. Several elements, including attitudes, beliefs about what others do or think should be done, and rating of communication effectiveness had significant effects on alumni's intent to donate. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.