NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Sources say that staff layoffs, at least for managers, are part of a deal to outsource the management of the Rutgers University Telefund, as an outside company prepares to take over July 1.

The operation will still remain at 303 George Street in downtown New Brunswick, and officials maintain it “will continue to employ approximately 100 students each semester.”

But replacing the current managers will be an Iowa-based company, RuffaloCody, which specializes in “technology-enabled fundraising and enrollment management services and software”.

“I used RuffaloCody to turn around the telefund at NC State,” said Nevin Kessler head of the Rutgers Foundation, the privately-run fundraising arm of Rutgers.

“We were able to bring RuffaloCody to Rutgers at no additional cost [beyond] what we were previously spending on staff and other expenses.”

Precisely because the Rutgers Foundation is privately run, officials have declined to give critical details about its deal with RuffaloCody, including how much the deal is worth and whether or not any current staff is being laid off.

“As you know we don’t talk about personnell matters, so I’m not going to make a comment about that,” said Kessler.

Under questioning, Kessler did give a few details: The deal is for three years and based on a flat rate for their services, as opposed to a commission-based payment.

Its cost remains a mystery, though Kessler described it as “at no greater cost than what we were spending.”

Barbara Soifer, an Interim Senior Director at the Rutgers Foundation, maintained that her organization will still direct the Telefund, while daily operations will be managed by RuffaloCody.

“In fact, there is not a ‘big change’ at Telefund,” wrote Soifer in an email to New Brunswick Today.

“The program will continue to be run onsite with Rutgers students making phone calls to inform Rutgers alumni about events and initiatives at Rutgers and raise funds to support university programs.”

Soifer characterized RuffaloCody as “a firm with more than 20 years of experience in managing Telefund programs for universities across the nation,” adding she expects they “will bring greater efficiencies and help the Foundation build greater alumni participation.”

RuffaloCody, which began in 1991 at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is employed by over 900 academic institutions and non-profit organizations throughout the United States, Canada, England, and Australia. They currently employ over 5,000 people in their company alone.

Senior Reporter at New Brunswick Today | 732-474-7924 | jkaado@nb.today

Jad is a local writer, organizer, and life-long resident of New Brunswick. He is a graduate of both Rutgers University and The University of Toronto.

Jad is a local writer, organizer, and life-long resident of New Brunswick. He is a graduate of both Rutgers University and The University of Toronto.