California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    Donors not affected by proposed ASCLU constitution changes

    Concerns that alumni might stop donating were brought up when ASCLUG voted on the amendment to remove “to further Christian growth” from the student government constitution.

    So far that hasn’t happened, according to Vice President of University Advancement Stephen Wheatly.

    “I’ve been here 20 years; I’ve been vice president for almost 11 years, and I have not had one call, one email or one text from a donor indicating that they were going to stop supporting CLU,” Wheatly said.

    When the student government voted and passed the amendment on Feb. 28, one of the arguments from both students and members of the government was the change could lead to a loss in donors.

    Part of Wheatly’s job is to  interact with long time donors and he has not heard any complaints.

    Rachel Ronning-Lindgren, director of Alumni Relations, has also yet to have anyone threaten to stop donating to the university.

    “I haven’t heard anything. I have not received any phone calls or emails,” Ronning-Lindgren said.

    She attributes this to an editorial from CLU President Chris Kimball that ran in the Ventura County Star.

    The editorial said that the amendment would affect only the student constitution, not the college’s mission statement or identity statement.

    “I think that piece helped clarify for alumni it’s really the student population; it really has nothing to do with the direction CLU is going in,” Ronning-Lindgren said. “CLU’s mission isn’t changing. It’s really the constitution within the student government realm.”

    Originally put forward by junior Senator Evan Sandlin, the amendment would change the section of the constitution’s preamble to “inspire the maturity of faith and reason in an environment of Lutheran tradition.”

    It was voted on 12 to 6 and needs a two-thirds majority to be put into effect.

    After the bill was passed, ASCLUG member Jesse Knutson called for it to be reviewed by a judicial panel and called for Sandlin and ASCLUG President Evan Clark to be removed from office. Neither measure went through.

    Clark said that they have received support from certain donors after proposing the constitution change.

    “I’ve actually gotten an email from an alumnus saying that they will double their gift to the alumni fund,” Clark said.

    Wheatly is an alumni who donates annually to the college.

    He said that there are two different ways to give to the college.

    One is to give to the annual fund, which can go to any department at the university.

    “Other individuals may give gifts that are restricted to a particular department or particular program here on campus,” Wheatly said.

    He also said there’s no minimum amount that can be given.

    “We have people that are giving us a dollar,” Wheatly said.

    He is still giving money to the CLU because he has seen  that it is necessary, even with the high price of tuition.

    “I know that the university needs to continue to expand and grow its academic programs, scholarship support and it’s facilities in order to continue to be attractive to students,” Wheatly said.

    Brennan Whitmore
    Staff Writer
    Published March 23, 2011

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