With a year and three months to go, the Forever LSU fundraising campaign is just more than $100 million away from reaching its goal of raising $750 million by the end of 2010.Beverly Major, director of Forever LSU, said as of the last tally June 30, the campaign raised $643,611,225.05. About $611 million of that was given by private donors, and the rest is made up of $32 million in state matched funds, Major said.The ailing economy is affecting donations, said Victoria King, director of development at the School of Social Work, who works with the LSU Foundation on the Forever LSU campaign. “There might have been people who had planned to give a larger gift and are having to make a longer gift,” King said. “Instead of pledging for five years, they may have to stretch that out over six or seven years.”The campaign was created to raise money to aid the University on four pillars — student support, faculty support, program support and campus infrastructure, Major said. “This is a donor-directed campaign,” Major said. “We invest in the donor’s vision. The donor identifies what they support and how it’s supported.”Major said donors decide what part of the University is most important to them, like a scholarship fund or student organization, and donate money to that cause.Forever LSU works with donors to help them invest in the future of the University, King said.”This is not just something that will benefit next week,” King said. “Most of the gifts we’re getting will benefit [the University] forever.”The Forever LSU campaign has faced some obstacles since it began, including several hurricanes and changes in leadership, Major said.”We’ve seen some significant obstacles and hurdles, but you have to play every minute of the game, and we have,” Major said. “It may be easier to say this at $643 million than at $400 million, but it doesn’t matter what is happening. We’re thinking, ‘What are we going to do for LSU students?'”Despite potential setbacks, Major said projections are “very high,” and the campaign may exceed its goal.”LSU has been incredibly successful [with the campaign],” Major said. “To quote [Chancellor] Michael Martin, ‘Winners bet on winners, and Tigers bet on Tigers.'”- – – -Contact Ryan Buxton at [email protected]