to find it ODD that my old university thinks I have money to give IT ( not vice versa)

[SetSquare]

in its HUGE cmapus and masses of property...and sends me endless begging letters

But from the perspective of a fundraiser, that will not motivate Mr Moneybags to give his £100k if he is the type to be motivated by publicity and self-aggrandisement.

In the end, you indulge their ego a bit and you get the money for the cause.

we know it's vulgar.

sorry kathy x-post - exactly

for your alumni dept xandrarama

That's the danger of printing off a form letter to hundreds of people at once and not getting someone to actually read them before they go in the post

(I wonder if our universities use the same consultants - that sounds eerily like the letter we send )

I know it's vulgar too really. This job is hard sometimes

UQD
no in the BLACk bin

My old collegiate university send an annual begging letter and I always send back a small donation. It's always very tastefully done.

DP's old University send him an annual begging letter and they follow it up with a phone call from a current student - it's cringeworthy. And if that doesn't shame you into action, they also publish a list of donations over £100 in the back of the annual magazine. DP gives in the spirit of not wanting to be on the generous and successful list. By complete conincidence, one of his old contemporararies lives in the same street as us and he is on the 'missing' list. Every year, DP threatens to dob-in this extremely wealthy individual to the fundraising section. But he's managed to restrain himself so far.

BonsoirA - Were you in Badock Hall?

I think it is fine that universities solicit funds for specific projects from alumni.

How do we expect them to fund bursaries and hardship funds? Given that alumni have already benefited from a possibly free education at their establishment and are putting their degrees to good use, then it seems appropriate to tap this channel of potential funds.

Really, Warhammer? You give money to your old university? It wouldn't be high on my list. We get two thick glossy copies of the same 'Gis Yer Spare Change' brochure three of four times a year (one each for me and DH)and I am too mean and cynical even to write back and tell them just to send the one each time. It's like the Queen stopping you to blag a pound coin from you.

Threadie, if you'd like to donate to my current really poor university instead, I'll be happy to point you in the direction of the non-Alumni Office

[sorry I missed you - and Boco - of my Love-in on that thread - I did include all the Wankers though so there in spirit ]

Isn't it a bit odd to see your alma mater as the Queen? I would absolutely not give money to the royal family but I do feel kindly disposed towards places that helped me on my way.

I had an email a few days ago from an old teacher at secondary school. He's helped me track down another of my old teachers as I have long wanted to write him a note of thanks.

Thank you for love-in mention Vulp (utterly reciprocated). And here is a quid-pro-quo fiver for your poor university.

I just graduated last month and the begging letters have not started yet. My university uses both letters and cold calls. About 7 or 8 of my friends (who were undergrads) worked on the Alumni fundraising cold calls. They all got paid pretty well, £7.50ph and the university paid for christmas parties for them.
Meanwhile in my second year I had classes cancelled because there was no money to pay the tutor. So we went from 3 measly hours a week to 2 hours. Despite this I do like my university but I don't like how they spend their money. If I am called in the future and I am in a position to donate then I will only do so if the donation is for something specific such as bursaries.

When I get to the point where I feel my choice of university has actually helped me one jot to progress in my chosen career, maybe I'll give them something.

That's a bit cynical UQD. You chose your University and you chose your career.

My university helped me hugely towards a fulfilling life. It didn't make me richer though, but that was my choice to an extent. I feel much gratitude to several tutors; I just don't feel any financial obligation. To be honest they are pitching to donors much richer than me. I don't think they would really expect money from me. I've never been called on the phone.

Does that mean if you chose to do Law at university but made it big as a writer (non legal), you would withold a donation? Because your university education wasn't a factor strictly necessary to your success?

why add the "rather than vice versa"? To my mind the opposite situation would be odder still.

I don't really mind - if it might help keep universities independent and not having to toe a funder's or government's line in order to keep going. I really hate how research culture is being skewed, and I really hate the current move to encourage students to study from home. If have a small standing order might help, I'm happy to. I absolutely loved my time as an undergrad and would love to think I helped someone else enjoy a similar experience.

DH and I met at university & left there over 30 years ago - we had begging letters for about 10 years after we left, then they stopped for a while; then the phone calls started about three or four years ago.

Last time they called and asked for some money, I pointed out that we were just about to give them large amounts of money, though not for the purpose they envisaged, as DD was just about to start there. They haven't actually rung since, presumably assuming (rightly) that we wouldn't have any spare money for a while.

Maybe now DD can earn herself some cash by joining the ranks of the cold calling students next year - it might mean she would actually call home at least once during the year...

I reserve the right to be cynical.

Cynical is just what an idealist calls a realist....