Kansas University Endowment Association trustees will hold their annual meeting this coming Friday. The main topics of conversation at these annual meetings are money, fundraising, the proper use of endowment funds, how to maximize the return on contributions and the performance of the association during the past year.

This year, there will be special attention on how to increase private giving for academic programs at the university. KU has a new chancellor, Bernadette Gray-Little, and she made it clear shortly after her arrival on campus that she wants to increase the amount of private contributions earmarked for academic programs at the school.

She is well aware of the millions being raised for athletic programs, and she is appreciative of this private support, but she is intent on doing what she can to increase funding for the academic side of the university.

KUEA trustees are sure to hear a well-reasoned, well-thought-out presentation on the needs of the university and a request for association officers and trustees to increase their efforts to secure more funding for teaching, research, attracting outstanding faculty members, supporting worthy and outstanding students, and many other programs.

The timing and organization of a major capital campaign is sure to be a major topic of discussion. The size of the goal for such a campaign, when to launch the effort, special goals for specific programs and schools within the university, whom to chair the campaign and many other facets of a capital campaign will have to be worked out.

However, even with all such preplanning, it is unlikely any firm dates or financial goals will be set until there is sufficient feedback on how KU alumni and friends judge the new chancellor. The fact is, the success of a major university campaign depends, to a significant degree, on the commitment of the chancellor to devote the time to be a strong, effective communicator for the university’s needs as well as an effective money-raiser — a chancellor whom alumni and friends think will represent the university in an effective manner. Those asking for contributions and those they are asking must be enthusiastic in their support of the chancellor as well as being proud of their university.

These readings or findings will not be known for some time, thus there is no way to set a definite start time for the drive. Until then, there are many aspects of a capital campaign that can, and will, be studied.

The association’s past campaigns — Program for Progress, Campaign Kansas and KU First — all were highly successful and, with proper planning and leadership, there is reason to believe the upcoming effort will be a winner, even in these challenging economic times.

Unfortunately, there is one serious matter that needs to be put to rest before any capital campaign is launched.

There has been an ongoing effort by some associated with Kansas City’s St. Luke’s Hospital, as well as some who profess to be strong KU supporters, to force KU School of Medicine and KU Hospital officials to provide various forms of assistance to St. Luke’s. These individuals tried various means — a highly touted study called “Time to Get It Right,” threats, the promise of millions of dollars in private philanthropic help for KU and other not so noble efforts — to pressure KU officials to approve giveaways by KU Hospital and the KU medical school to strengthen St. Luke’s at the expense of KU.

It started as a secret plan, then it became public. The hollow threats were exposed, and the public side of the pressure tactics died down. This writer cautioned it would be a serious mistake to believe the St. Luke’s effort was dead. It wasn’t and isn’t.

Now, a few individuals who have strong KU ties and supposedly are working to strengthen KU Hospital, KU School of Medicine and other KU programs, but have been behind-the-scenes backers of the giveaway to St. Luke’s, have indicated KU’s efforts to raise substantial money in a capital campaign from major Kansas City donors will be severely handicapped if KU does not put St. Luke’s under its wing and help the Kansas City hospital regain its prestige and level of service.

It would be a shame to allow the St. Luke’s matter to cloud or weaken the support for KU within the Kansas City community. This is another phony threat.

For years, St. Luke’s was considered Kansas City’s premier hospital, and the KU Hospital and medical school were off in Wyandotte County, more of a blue-collar part of the metro area. St. Luke’s followers looked down their noses at KU.

But in the last 10 to 12 years, KU Hospital has risen in its excellence and was ranked this week by the University HealthSystem Consortium as the nation’s No. 2 academic medical center in quality and safety. It clearly is the No. 1 hospital in Kansas City, and it is understandable St. Luke’s supporters don’t like it.

KU needs a highly successful capital campaign. Chancellor Gray-Little knows this. Professional fundraisers say millions of dollars have been left on the table because KU has not had a capital campaign under way sooner, and it is important that any upcoming campaign be given every advantage to succeed. The chairmanship of the drive is critical, and there should be no question that the chairman has a total commitment to KU and no obligation to try to be a hero to some in Kansas City.

The St. Luke’s matter should not be allowed to weaken the KU effort.