The Cornell United Way Campaign is on a roll. Pledges, including anonymous gifts, as of Oct. 18, the end of the campaign's second week totaled $67,077.37 -- 10.7 percent of the campaign's goal of $627,000. Contributions to Cornell's campus campaign annually account for one-third of the $1.8 million countywide goal set by United Way of Tompkins County.

"That's a fine start toward our goal given those numbers reflect the first report for a newly launched campaign," said Charles Walcott, dean of the university faculty and chair of the 2005 Cornell United Way Campaign. "However, we must strive to increase staff and faculty participation across the campus."

This year's participation goal is 20 percent of faculty and staff; four percent of Cornell employees have pledged so far. Participation rates could be slowed by a production error in some pledge cards.

The campaign's central systems and production control staff members are swiftly amending a printing glitch that caused errors among some pledge cards already distributed and minor delays in the distribution of others. However, all Cornell United Way databases are current and correct. The errors appear in printed copies only.

The following pledge card errors could apply to you or someone in your unit or department:

• Gift amounts printed on the pledge card do not agree with your records of the previous year's donation;
• Pledge cards were delivered to an incorrect address because of retirement, departure or transfer to another department;
• Employees who increased their giving to the Livermore Society level last year may expect a letter sent under separate cover;
• New hires who have not already received pledge cards will receive them shortly.

If you have questions or simply would like to know more, contact Catherine Jenner in the University Business Service Center at (607) 255-8671, or e-mail clj8@cornell.edu.

United Way pledges can be paid through payroll deduction or with a check or credit card. For more information, visit the Tompkins County United Way Web site at http://www.uwtc.orgu or Cornell's United Way Web site, where you also can donate online, at http://www.unitedway.sas.cornell.edu/.