How many of you undergraduate students plan on giving to MSU upon graduation? You will be getting phone calls shortly after you receive your diploma, asking for donations for various funds to support the university. Haven’t we supported our school enough in the four years that we completed our undergraduate program?

Apparently the university doesn’t agree with this. It will be asking for money to support building repairs and computer labs. I’m sure anyone who is reading this has been charged or will be charged in the dorms for some marking on the wall the university wants you to pay for.

Let’s face it: It makes enough money as it is from our tuition and room and board. The reason I am bringing this topic up is because of something that happened to me today. I just graduated from MSU and am staying in East Lansing for the summer. I applied for a job with University Development and have been working there for the past couple of weeks. My job was to call MSU alumni and ask them for donations for the university.

I was told today I couldn’t work for them anymore because I am not a registered student, nor will I be a registered student in the fall. Isn’t it ironic that all of you will be receiving phone calls from these students wanting your money? There is one problem: You will no longer be allowed to work for the university because it is not receiving any tuition money from you. It will hire Lansing Community College students though.

So don’t go to them for a job when you graduate; they are done taking your money so therefore they don’t want to pay you anymore. My advice is not to give back to the university, to save your money, because it obviously doesn’t want to help out fellow alumni. They will not hesitate to call you when they need money to help support the university, but do not ever expect to get a job from them.

Dave Upell
2001 MSU graduate