Letters to the Editor

Donation issues misconstrued

The article “Donations have strings attached” (Oct. 30) makes a series of misguided assumptions about the relationship between Princeton University and the donor of the Robertson gift, as well as the University’s adherence to the donor’s intent.

The article encourages a policy that “would hold universities to a greater level of transparency and responsibility in spending.”

However, in this case, the donor and the university agreed in writing about how the gift would be used and how it would be administered.

For 46 years, Princeton has lived up to these agreements. The question posed by this case is whether descendants of the donor, decades later, can overturn these agreements and seize control of the money.

One of the key issues presented is whether the descendants can substitute their judgment for the academic judgments of the university about how best to establish, maintain and support a graduate program of world-class quality.

The donor gave the university control over these decisions, and her descendants are attempting to undo this.

The article makes a plea for universities to consider whether their interests match those of donors.

In this case, the documented purpose of the Robertson gift was fully aligned with the interests of the university.

The sole purpose of the gift was to support the graduate program at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. This is exactly how the funds have been used since Marie Robertson made her gift to Princeton 46 years ago.

Cass Cliatt

Director of media relations

Princeton University

Be cautious when buying tickets

I commend Amy Crocker for being brave and going to the show (“Sold-out show? Show up anyway” A&E, Oct. 30).

You were fortunate to be able to watch King Lear. I am glad that you shared the advice with the Bruins.

However, I am concerned with your advice to buy tickets from people selling outside of the theater.

Although many of those people really do have extra tickets, many of them are scalpers who sell fake tickets and run with your money.

Maybe that’s not as common in Los Angeles, but it is prevalent in New York City.

I hope you will advise people to be cautious when buying tickets from people on the streets.

Katie Ho

First-year, mathematics

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