Cornell employees and retirees have pledged $492,000 for the campus portion of the 1997 campaign for United Way of Tompkins County, exceeding the campus goal. In addition, the countywide campaign exceeded its $1.46 million goal.

The good news came just before the holiday break in December, said Janiece Bacon Oblak, assistant dean of admissions and financial aid and chair of the campus campaign.

"We not only exceeded our goal, but we did it in three months," she said.

The campus goal was $485,000 -- about one third of the amount raised countywide, Oblak said. The county campaign was chaired by John L. Ford, Cornell's Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of Students.

"There are so many people we want to thank, especially the 2,400 employees and retirees whose pledges help support more than 100 local programs that meet critical needs in the community," Oblak said. "We also recognize the efforts of many individuals who volunteered in a variety of ways and campus departments that donated goods and services for weekly donor drawings."

Of special note, according to Oblak, are the campus units that increased their gifts by more than 30 percent compared with 1996. One division -- Cornell Information Technologies (CIT), with Kathie Struble as division deputy -- went up by more than 50 percent. The other units, campaign division deputies, and percentage of increases in dollars donated are: Student and Academic Services, Phil McPheron, 31 percent; Admissions and Financial Aid, Kris Minor, 32 percent; and Continuing Education and Summer Sessions, Janice Miles, 41 percent.

In addition, four divisions recorded rates of employee participation of 35 percent or better. The pacesetting units are: Libraries, Catherine Murray-Rust, 35.5 percent; Admissions and Financial Aid, Kris Minor, 41 percent; Continuing Education and Summer Sessions, Janice Miles, 41 percent; and the Graduate School, Kristie Lovely, 50 percent.

The 1998 United Way of Tompkins County campaign will be chaired by Tom LiVigne, manager of real estate for the Cornell Real Estate Department, while Susan H. Murphy, vice president for student and academic services, will serve as chair of the Cornell campus campaign.