2008 Woodie Awards
Letter to the Editor: Rockhurst fundraising
Issue date: 11/10/06 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
It is no big secret Rockhurst is way over its head in debt. Due to some poor decisions made before we even got here, we find ourselves attending an institution sinking to new lows just to catch its breath. I have heard rumors of asking an already underpaid staff and faculty for donations, but it got personal when they called my home. Each of my three years, Rockhurst has raised tuition; this year alone, students had to scrounge an additional two thousand dollars. In my case, I had to take additional hours at my job to meet the demand. My parents, though not rich, try to help me financially and have been a great support system mentally. Hence my outrage after a telephone conversation I had with my mother about a month ago.
Nonchalantly, she mentioned a call from Rockhurst (actually several calls from Rockhurst because they wanted to speak to my father who was not home). Finally, a representative settled on my mother asking for not just any donation but a $500 one! I was under the impression that institutions traditionally only hassled alumni not current students who are already paying them an exorbitant amount of money. Also, I find it extremely rude to ask for a certain dollar amount when begging for donations. Through fits of laughter, my mother explained Rockhurst was already getting every cent her daughter earned, and she would help her own offspring out before giving $500 to an institution that got itself into trouble. However, her message was not clear because someone called a couple days later to ask my father the same thing (insert father and he into the previous sentence).
I want to make it clear I do appreciate the excellent education Rockhurst offers its students; however, those same students do pay for it. I consider it not just bad-mannered but abusive to ask families of current students for such huge amounts of money. I believe we do our part by agreeing to pay tuition and should not be relied upon to help correct bad mistakes we had absolutely nothing to do with. I regret the situation in which Rockhurst finds itself, but why not wait until we have graduated and established a life for ourselves before beginning to solicit money from us? Then, they can feel free to mooch until we are dead in our graves and free from the financial burdens of Rockhurst.
Sincerely,
An Unbelievably Poor and Pissed Student
Nonchalantly, she mentioned a call from Rockhurst (actually several calls from Rockhurst because they wanted to speak to my father who was not home). Finally, a representative settled on my mother asking for not just any donation but a $500 one! I was under the impression that institutions traditionally only hassled alumni not current students who are already paying them an exorbitant amount of money. Also, I find it extremely rude to ask for a certain dollar amount when begging for donations. Through fits of laughter, my mother explained Rockhurst was already getting every cent her daughter earned, and she would help her own offspring out before giving $500 to an institution that got itself into trouble. However, her message was not clear because someone called a couple days later to ask my father the same thing (insert father and he into the previous sentence).
I want to make it clear I do appreciate the excellent education Rockhurst offers its students; however, those same students do pay for it. I consider it not just bad-mannered but abusive to ask families of current students for such huge amounts of money. I believe we do our part by agreeing to pay tuition and should not be relied upon to help correct bad mistakes we had absolutely nothing to do with. I regret the situation in which Rockhurst finds itself, but why not wait until we have graduated and established a life for ourselves before beginning to solicit money from us? Then, they can feel free to mooch until we are dead in our graves and free from the financial burdens of Rockhurst.
Sincerely,
An Unbelievably Poor and Pissed Student
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