WWU Rejects $1 Million Fundraising Effort; Now Faces Equal Loss in Future Contributions
Bellingham, WA –

A number of key donors and alumni at Western Washington University (WWU) are expressing serious concerns about the administration at the school after they terminated the 100+ year old football program. Overtures to reinstate the program, an offer of $1 million dollars in support, with an additional long-term funding plan, have been summarily turned down.

Now, with Western in a budget crunch and departments calling alumni for support, they are finding that the school stands to lose at least that much in future contributions. They are also finding that the
alumni are not in a very giving mood. “Not communicating with the alumni base, students, boosters and
local business shows total lack of regard and respect for the people that support WWU,” said Pat Locker, class of 1979. Locker, uncle of University of Washington quarterback Jake Locker, was the first
running back in Washington state college football history to amass over 4,000 yards rushing. Now he and others believe that, because of their lack of transparency, the university with have great difficulty
amassing any financial support.

In January, new WWU President Bruce Shepard, suddenly and without input or warning, abruptly ended the football program. The unilateral decision making process along with the lack of transparency and a public process has outraged many WWU alumni.

A group of over 500 WWU alumni have put together over $1 million dollars in pledges in an effort to get the program reinstated. After the group had amassed over $600,000 in pledges, a small group of
anonymous supporters added significant funds to the total, which represented a four-year commitment of monies.

However, the WWU Administration has rejected the overtures of the group and key donors. And now, the university must explain why hundreds of thousands of dollars that were to be left to the school
through wills and life insurance policies are suddenly evaporating. At least two dozen alumni and supporters who were contacted within the past week have started to or already made changes to their
estate plans. Total future funds forfeited by the university as a result of these two dozen people will exceed, at minimum, $750,000.

According to various alumni, the way the WWU Administration has handled this situation has greatly undermined many donors’ confidence in the University. "I now have some serious doubts on the decision-making process of the Western Washington administration. I am appalled with the lack of transparency, lack of integrity and the overall insensitivity displayed,” said Al Jones, WWU class of 1969. “Whatever happened to the little school on the hill that cared about kids?"

Student and employment diversity has also taken a hit due to the funding cuts. “My biggest concern is that the administration is not truly in tune with the needs of the university and what it takes to be an elite university both regionally and nationally,” said Chris Witherspoon, Executive Vice President of Publicis, a Seattle-based marketing firm. “More specifically, the current lack of diversity on campus is extremely concerning and the administration's inability to understand the negative impact the loss of the football program will have on this serious issue is very disturbing. (It's a) university that is not reflective of the country we live in today.” Witherspoon intends to withhold all his future contributions from the university.

“The university’s complete unwillingness to partner with a supportive alumni group and donors to find solutions to financial issues is extremely troubling, and will definitely erode philanthropic support in the long term. In this troubled economic state in which government institutions need all the help they can get. It is unreal to see the University turn these donors away and could eventually lose many more,” said Wade D. Gebers, Senior Vice President, Financial Consultant, D.A. Davidson.

The biggest question of all is what the future implications to the University for turning down such a supportive, and diverse, alumni group will be. Many alumni members are highly discouraged and our now voicing their frustration with the current administration. "I will no longer send funds to WWU and have already changed my will,” said Kristofer Larson, WWU class of 1993. “My contributions …would have totaled over $100,000. I will now have everything sent to the out-of-state law school I attended.”

Sean Hackney of RE/MAX Northwest agreed. “(The) current WWU administration has sent a very clear and decisive message to (us), and their community...We are NOT interested in you.”

These same sentiments are being echoed throughout the WWU alumni. What might have appeared to be a one-time budget cut in response to the state economic crisis will likely turn into a long-term funding problem for Western. With the prospect of decreasing state and federal support as a result one of the deepest recessions in generations, many feel the WWU should be partnering with alumni and philanthropic donors to find more private support for various programs, as opposed to pushing away interested supporters. Alumni and supporters of the school are hopeful that state legislators and the Board of Trustees will take note of this sudden economic backlash and take the proper steps rectify matters and repair broken relationships.