Thursday, March 20, 2008

WFUV Redux


Following up on my WFUV post from several weeks ago, I realized that I did owe Ms. Fordham Alumni Relations chick a thank you note for our lunch. And I also needed to formally decline her invitation to me to spend $25,000 for a table at WFUV's big fundraising gala in April. It was a tough choice for me. Enjoy one evening of rubber chicken and boiled carrots or...feed myself for the next 20 years.

To her credit, Ms. Fordham Alumni Relations chick did reply back to me in a letter. And, as you will read, she pretty acknowledged that I was right on most of the points I made.

Dear Len:

Thank you for your email note following our lunch at your "commissary." I enjoyed visiting with you as well and I truly appreciate your patience as I negotiate the complicated politics of WFUV and Fordham University.

As you suggested, I did study the three points of the radio station's mission statement. I suspect there are many people who would agree with you about the priority order of the three points.

Candidly, I admire your integrity not to support financially WFUV since it is not the student run organization where you trained. You are absolutely correct: contributions received through WFUV fundraising initiatives such as the upcoming gala, the on-air fundraising drives, the CD of the month club, etc. directly support the radio station's budget which does include salaries for the general manager and others.

However, if you truly want to support the students of Fordham, you will make a gift to the University. The radio station's budget is outside the University budget. Financial aid is our single greatest expense and without it we could not recruit and retain top-quality students. Tuition does not cover the costs of educating our students. Today's Fordham students depend on the support of alumni like you to help them succeed.

Enclosed is a business reply envelope and form for charitable contributions. Please consider giving generously.

I encourage you to contact me when you are in New York and we can visit the campus together.

Thank you, Ms. Fordham Alumni Relations chick, for hearing me out on this. It is much appreciated.

Oh...and my checkbook remains closed.

Dinner last night: Teriyaki burger at Island's.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tell her to put me on Fordham's Do Not Call list. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

When I ran into Mr. Moran last week in NYC, we both agreed that, like you, the checkbook is closed for the forseeable future. Happily, their sports operations are one of the few (if not the only) student-done things on the station. Were "Diploma City" on today, would they call in professionals?