Thursday, May 23, 1996
Quelling negative reports, university tells benefactors that
their opinions still matterBy Michael Howerton
Daily Bruin Staff
In light of recent negative media coverage, UCLA Chancellor
Charles Young issued a letter of support to donors last week
reminding them of the gratitude the university owes them.
Young warned donors and other friends of UCLA about an article
to be published in the Los Angeles Times "within the next few days"
focusing on fundraising at UCLA. While the article’s contents are
unknown, "recent experience suggests that the tone will not be
positive," Young speculated in his letter.
The relationship between donors and the university has come
under close scrutiny in recent weeks. Instances of supporters and
other prominent individuals attempting to influence UCLA admissions
have recently come to public attention. Critics have charged that
the necessity of fundraising places the university in the unique
position of having to acquiesce to the whims of donors, regents and
legislators.
Last week, the University of California Office of the President
admitted that while such influence was extremely small, they did
find instances of admissions favoritism granted to certain
prominent individuals.
Young defended the special attention that is sometimes paid to
donors. The financial survival of the university rests, to a large
extent, in the hands of private sector contributions  and the
university needs to be attentive to that, Young has repeatedly
asserted over the past few weeks.
"It is important for the administration to take into
consideration cases for the interest of the institution," Young
told the University of California Board of Regents last week.
"Influence is not bad."
Despite his assurance to the board, Young felt his letter was
necessary to buffer the media’s portrayal of the donors, which some
fear is eroding public opinion.
"There is a concern that the articles might not have a balanced
account of fundraising at UCLA," said Karen Mack, a university
development spokesperson. "The idea was that the chancellor would
contact the friends first to provide information factually and
correctly in the appropriate context."
Roy Aaron, president-elect of the UCLA Foundation, expressed
fears that the articles have created a stigma for being a donor
 one that he felt may damage the university’s fundraising
capabilities.
Young, however, told the donors in his letter that support for
the university was growing during this time of scrutiny.
In his letter, Young told the donors that the university will
continue to work hard to insure that "your interests and concerns
receive full and appropriate consideration."
This year promises to be a record-breaking year for fundraising
at UCLA, Young said  private gifts are expected to exceed $30
million.
His letter also warned donors that some of the university’s
confidential files on them had been obtained by media organizations
through "unauthorized or illicit" means. Some of these files
contained notes about the university’s relationships with
particular donors, Young explained.
That the media gained possession of these files was
"regrettable," Young wrote, and reassured the donors that the
security of their files is a high priority. In informing donors and
supporters of the impending article, Young stated that he wanted to
put the media coverage in context and remind the donors of the
university’s commitment to them.
The record year that UCLA fundraising is having attests to the
vitality of the development program and the commitment of the
donors to the university, Mack said.
"We are proud of our donors, of our development operations, and
the results that we have achieved together," Young wrote in
closing.