Fundraising drive falling short

It’s not often that parents of TCU students receive correspondence from the university without a bill attached to it, but when they do, most eagerly open their mail hoping to find out a little bit more about the mysterious place their children call college.

Usually, it is an announcement, possibly a newsletter or maybe, as many parents recently received, an invitation to a dinner featuring the one and only, Chancellor Michael Ferrari as he treks to six major cities across the United States.

According to the invitation, the topics of the dinners will cover everything from an overview of the final report on the Commission on the Future of TCU to future building plans and fund-raising drives at TCU.

It’s about time TCU showed some gratitude to the people, who for most TCU students, will fork over nearly $70,000 so their offspring can attend this university. But don’t put on your party hats just yet folks, there’s a catch.

The parents are invited to meet Chancellor Ferrari and others — only after they pay $30 a plate. That’s right kids, the university is taking your folks out to dinner and they aren’t even going to pick up the tab.

This is ridiculous.

The university is inviting them to a $30 a plate dinner that will likely include a fund-raising pitch of its own.

How dare the university ask for more money from people who already are putting at least one kid through school if not more. These are people who have likely spent a great deal of their lives working so that they could afford a higher education for their kids. These are people who put their kids first so they will some day see them succeed.

The university begins soliciting phone donations from parents as soon as their children arrive on campus, so how surprised can we be that the university would sink so low as to charge parents $30 a plate for a chance to hear more about the university their son or daughter attends?

With a university endowment in excess of $940 million, it is time for the powers that be to quit soliciting donations from families that currently have kids attending TCU.

As far as alumni go, solicit them until they’re blue in the face. It is part of their responsibility as alumni to consider TCU as a philanthropic endeavor as they begin successful careers.

To run a university efficiently and effectively, especially a growing and ever-changing university such as TCU, there must be a steady supply of private donations streaming in. TCU is very fortunate to have generous alumni and parents who contribute regularly.

The first way for TCU to accomplish raising money for some of their ambitious future plans is to start treating those who make their university a possibility, the people who pay the bills, feel a little more at home.

I’m sorry Chancellor Ferrari, my parents won’t be sending an RSVP. In fact, I told them not to. If they had an extra $30 each laying around I would hope that they’d take themselves out to a nice dinner. I know they deserve it. I just wish the university saw it that way.

Chancellor Ferrari, if you’re only motive for this trip is to try and ask for more money, shame on you. But if you really want to visit with some of those people, the parents of TCU students, then give my parents a call when you’re in their town. They may not be able to afford your fancy dinner, but I guarantee they’d invite you over for burgers on the grill and beer.

Opinion Editor James Zwilling is a sophomore news-editorial journalism major from Phoenix.
He can be reached at (james_zwilling@usa.net).

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