Today I received a phone call in my office at approximately 9:20 a.m. from an individual who identified himself as a faculty member in the College of Education. A rough paraphrase of the conversation, leaving out some of it, follows:
Caller: Had been reading the coverage on the blog, especially the recent material on [Benoit] Wesly's contributions to the University. Were you aware of the circumstances of the annual contributions of [Benoit] Wesly? [And I'm thinking, why are you calling me?]
Me: I had heard some information along those lines. Those circumstances are not rare for contributors - relationships are built over long periods of time.
Caller: The contributions came at a net cost to the university. Why don't you cover that?
Me: You can take a look at every contributor in this fashion. If you have information [on Benoit Wesly] you can sign up and post it.
[The Foundation has only released information to the Board of Governors about Benoit Wesly's giving history. Absent the giving history of every other contributor to the Foundation this would be difficult, if not impossible, to confirm. How convenient.]
Caller: This [coverage of the story] is not good for the University. Not going to talk about the other things.
Me: We only have parts of the story. We've heard the whisper campaign, so we asked for documents. We get resistance, but when we do get documents they show that there is no there there. We are still looking at a charge of $501.86 for documents.
Caller: Well, if you want it go ahead and pay it. [I didn't think at this point that it would be fruitful to ask for assistance with the cost.]
Education makes money. The Harmon College of Business loses money. Music and Nursing lose money.
Me: And what kind of University are we? What kind of University would we be without them?
Caller: I'm not here to debate. I don't have the time. You and Bob Yates like to debate. I don't have the time to go into it.
Me: You brought it up.
Caller: How do you have time as a full professor to do this?
Me: It comes out of my hide. I do this on my own time.
Caller: Are you doing this from your campus computer?
Me: I have a laptop.
Caller: If you're using your campus computer, that's a problem. [I'm thinking, are you deaf? Are you calling me from your campus phone? And if so, is that a problem?]
Me: If you think that's the case, then do something about it.
Caller: I'm done. [hangup]
Next time send someone smarter.
