On Ethics

As I mentioned in last month’s column, it is helpful to examine case studies involving ethical issues in fund raising so we may hone our decision making skills.  You will find one such case below. 

The following case is from the Association of Fundraising Professionals Ethics Leadership Guide (09/07/01), p. 35. 

Case #10 Building on Principle

Bucky Passer is the vice president for advancement and alumni affairs of a small college.  After many months of careful cultivation, he succeeds in obtaining a pledge from a famous alum for the largest gift in the college’s history.  The only catch is, the alum insists that the college put his name on a building that was named for a previous donor (now deceased) as a condition of that donor’s gift.  Bucky tries to persuade the new donor to change his mind, but the donor is insistent.

What should Bucky do?

1.  Decline the gift

2.  Recommend that the board accept the gift and rename the building.

3.  Recommend the board decide the question.

4.  Get advice from counsel.

5.  Other

What would you do under the circumstances? What do you feel are the key points to consider in this case?  What are the ethical issues involved?  If you discuss this case with co-workers and other development colleagues, you may be surprised at the different answers you receive.

Correct Answer (From Ethics Chair)

1.      If you chose 2, recommend to the board to accept the gift and rename the building, to quote Donald Trump, “you’re fired”.

2.      If you chose 3, and passed this off to your board to decide… you’re fired

3.      If you chose 4 ,  to spend  money to get advise from an attorney… you won’t be fired, but don’t spend that bonus just yet.

4.      If you chose 1 and gave up on the largest gift in the college’s history…you’re fired.

5.      If you chose 5 Other, you are at least on the right track.  A specific strategy should be developed by the advancement team in concert with the leadership of the college and the college’s board to address this particular significant opportunity.  At the end of the day after exhausting all conceivable alternatives, you may be forced to decline the gift.  That would be the last resort.

To examine other such case studies, go to the Ethics section on the main AFP website (http://www.afpnet.org/ethics).  There are a number of ethical dilemmas you may find it useful to contemplate.

Until next month,

John McAleer,

Ethics Chair