My University, The Gimmie Pig

[Kasia_Kiwi]

This isn't really a pressing issue, more funny than anything else since I cannot do a thing about it. I just thought I should share the etiquette inept-ness of my university.

We just launched a new website. Oh yes, it's very shiny and modern with pictures of tablet PCs on it and everything (you know, because you can totally afford those while paying university tuition ).

But right there, in your face the second you access the home page, flying on a red banner is the phrase "Give now!" (complete with exclamation point).

They are not a small university by any means, quite the opposite. Given that, I really don't understand why they hide the student tools menu behind 4 clicks but put a donation button front and centre.

That's my little laugh for the day.

[jaxsue]

Colleges are bottomless needy pits. There, I said it! 

I graduated in '84 and still get pleas for donations. I have yet to give. 

[audrey1962]

I work in University fundraising. Many donors give to fund student scholarships so that low-income students can afford to attend. I am proud that I help students achieve the goal of a University education.

And if someone calls you and you don't want to give, just ask to be taken off the list. It's no big deal.

[kherbert05]

I work in University fundraising. Many donors give to fund student scholarships so that low-income students can afford to attend. I am proud that I help students achieve the goal of a University education.

And if someone calls you and you don't want to give, just ask to be taken off the list. It's no big deal.

I think the problem the OP has is that she can't get to tools she need easily but Donate is across the webpage. I think that it makes the page look "cheap", when people do that. Something about the achievements of recipient of X scholarship on the front page with that article having a giving link is a better choice.

[HorseFreak]

I know of a university that calls their EMPLOYEES at 9:30 pm to beg for money for scholarships. Some departments can't get the basic equipment they need, and they make it difficult for the public to donate (they have turned down very big donations in the past), but they have no problem calling their underpaid faculty and staff in a poor area to beg for their paychecks back, even suggesting a dollar per day be deducted from their paycheck!

[Cz. Burrito]

Your post made me think of this comic: http://xkcd.com/773/

[still in va]

I work in University fundraising. Many donors give to fund student scholarships so that low-income students can afford to attend. I am proud that I help students achieve the goal of a University education.

And if someone calls you and you don't want to give, just ask to be taken off the list. It's no big deal.

oh if only this were true.  i've been trying to do that for the last 20 years.  hasn't worked yet.  and caller ID is the best invention ever.

[Kasia_Kiwi]

Your post made me think of this comic: http://xkcd.com/773/

Yes!

[Harriet Jones]

As a requirement for graduation, the students at my husband's alma mater have to do a certain number of hours of phone solicitations. 

[jedikaiti]

I have degrees from 2 universities, and the other night I got (and missed) fundraising calls from both of them, plus my high school.

I'd be happy to give - if I had the money. But I work for university #2, and while I love my job, they don't pay THAT well.

[Cz. Burrito]

As a requirement for graduation, the students at my husband's alma mater have to do a certain number of hours of phone solicitations. 

That's awful.  I hope they knew that going in.  I would actually decline to attend there just based on that (I really hate asking people for money).

[baglady]

I'm guessing they are trying to grab alumni, not students, with that donate button. A student probably knows his way around the site and won't spend much time on the home page. An alum probably doesn't visit his university's website that often, especially if he's from a time before that newfangled Internet thingy. He may hang out on the home page trying to figure out what's what before he clicks any links. And there's that donate button staring him in the face the whole time.

I never heard of a college/university asking enrolled students for donations. They're making donations already -- it's called tuition.

[Shea]

I work in University fundraising. Many donors give to fund student scholarships so that low-income students can afford to attend. I am proud that I help students achieve the goal of a University education.

And if someone calls you and you don't want to give, just ask to be taken off the list. It's no big deal.

oh if only this were true.  i've been trying to do that for the last 20 years.  hasn't worked yet.  and caller ID is the best invention ever.

I moved out of the country after I graduated. My alma mater still calls my parents' house asking for me, but my parents refuse to give them my new address, telephone number or email address .

[taxing]

I got a call from my university last week asking if I wanted to donate to their PhD scholarships fund. Uh... as I'm currently doing a PhD with your university, and not getting a scholarship... no? They then asked if I would rather donate to the hardship fund. Sure, I regularly donate to the hardship fund of one particular student, me! 

( I didn't say that.)

[PeterM]

As a requirement for graduation, the students at my husband's alma mater have to do a certain number of hours of phone solicitations. 

Are they required to actually make money for the university? That'd be an interesting contract, and possibly unenforceable. Me, I'd make as many calls as they forced me to, and I'd start out each one with, "This is Pete from your alma mater. Remember how they made you call for donations before you could graduate? Now it's my turn. Do you want to donate or would you prefer I hang up and let you go about your life?"