The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Kent Wired is reporting this gift has been withdrawn. Can't post link from my phone.

(01-06-2012 08:29 PM)BrashFlash Wrote:  Kent Wired is reporting this gift has been withdrawn. Can't post link from my phone.

Here it is:

http://kentwired.com/cope-court-donor-wi...lion-gift/

Heard he was shady. Didn't know the extent of it. Oh well, we still have a lot of cheese committed this year.

WOW! This was a trainwreck from the start. Funny how everybody was on board to take that tainted money, and now this story was broken by that top-notch investigative rag the Daily Kent Stater. Maybe they can put their focus back on the people with clean money and get them to donate. Since these guys took over I have noticed a subtantial drop-off with how they solicite funds.

(01-07-2012 09:53 AM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  WOW! This was a trainwreck from the start. Funny how everybody was on board to take that tainted money, and now this story was broken by that top-notch investigative rag the Daily Kent Stater. Maybe they can put their focus back on the people with clean money and get them to donate. Since these guys took over I have noticed a subtantial drop-off with how they solicite funds.

Can you explain what you mean by your statement? The giving at KSU has NEVER been higher than it is now.

They may have snagged a big donor or two making the final tally look big, but that doesn't mean they are doing well with the smaller pocketed donors. And if getting money from crooks like this makes us feel better then I'll go elsewhere with my cash. I may not kick in a million but still offer up a decent chunk every year and with every project and can only speak for myself. Their solicitations have dropped off and been nothing but a cluster%$#@ with my donations.

(01-07-2012 03:55 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  They may have snagged a big donor or two making the final tally look big, but that doesn't mean they are doing well with the smaller pocketed donors. And if getting money from crooks like this makes us feel better then I'll go elsewhere with my cash. I may not kick in a million but still offer up a decent chunk every year and with every project and can only speak for myself. Their solicitations have dropped off and been nothing but a cluster%$#@ with my donations.

I certainly cannot speak to your experience, but your statement is pretty much just flat out incorrect. The donations being received are across the board. Yes, the larger donations (meaning millions) are new, but the overall number of donors is up and most are in that small to mid-sized donation bracket. Also, the final tally hasn't "looked" big. It has been BIG. Ridiculously BIG.

Donors up, no surprise there are more graduate every year. I used to get solicited for my donations and gave what I could. Since the new guys came in it seems to me they just take for granted they can count on my donation and don't need to work for it so they focus elsewhere. Again, I don't kick in millions but do offer a decent amount and don't need to just give it away and made to feel like they're doing me the favor by taking it.

I have absolutely no clue what the percentages are, but people graduate from every University every year and I doubt highly that results in more donors (especially in this economy). What I mean by that statement is that I bet a large amount of colleges across the country and their donations are down despite the graduates and increased number of alums. I do however understand your frustration, as the attitude you are describing would piss me off too.

At ther very least this does not make the school look very good. Had this gotten out after the court was formally named, it would have been a public relations issue. At least it got stopped in time.

Agreed burden, that this was nipped in the bud is good. Sucks that the program loses out on a solid contribution that would go far, but it's not worth it if everything isn't on the up and up with this guy.

Look! We aren't taking the money! We aren't naming the court after the bad people! Done!

OK! Thanks!

(01-07-2012 04:58 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  Donors up, no surprise there are more graduate every year. I used to get solicited for my donations and gave what I could. Since the new guys came in it seems to me they just take for granted they can count on my donation and don't need to work for it so they focus elsewhere. Again, I don't kick in millions but do offer a decent amount and don't need to just give it away and made to feel like they're doing me the favor by taking it.

Perhaps they decided to follow up the feedback they were getting at the phone center When I worked there it seemed that more people would be happy if we stopped pestering everybody for donations. Granted I would be surprised if not calling ended up making more money but I do know that the constant calls annoyed a lot of people.

(01-07-2012 04:58 PM)Polish Hammer Wrote:  Donors up, no surprise there are more graduate every year. I used to get solicited for my donations and gave what I could. Since the new guys came in it seems to me they just take for granted they can count on my donation and don't need to work for it so they focus elsewhere. Again, I don't kick in millions but do offer a decent amount and don't need to just give it away and made to feel like they're doing me the favor by taking it.

Don't know what your experience is, PH. But if you want to complain to someone who can actually do something, call Matt Geis. He works incredibly hard to find the kind of financial support we need. Just not in his nature to take people for granted.

Don't know what you mean by "focusing elsewhere"' but if you mean expanding our donor base and raising the bar, that's definitely happening.

Thinking about tainted donations, wonder how long it will be The Paterno Library at Penn State?

I do find it rather interesting that we give the players multiple chances when they make mistakes and get in trouble (see singletary, manns, etc..) but we are slamming this alum who wanted to help his institution.

I dont condone what he did in committing this crime and im sure my opinion would be must different if i was one of the investors who lost money. But he was sentenced and i assume honored the terms of his sentence. I dont know the Cope's but i'd imagine 99% of people that commit this sort of crime feel guilt and now he has stayed out of trouble and he is looking to do good to help his alma mater and we call him a criminal and dirty $$. Doesnt make sense to me!

This is a tough one. I get that the bar is higher for an honorarium; and something that’s named is a permanent honor.

But to ksu 315’s point, no one seems to have any problems accepting donations from the Milken Foundation. Since his release from prison for criminal securities violations (mostly insider trading), Michael Milken turned his life around and is a leading philanthropist for medical and education research. Don’t see any research Universities turning his checks away.

This must have been a painful call, so I’m not going to second guess anyone. Just wonder if it was a donation and not an honorarium if the decision might have been different.

I would guess so. Naming something makes it obvious and in your face. A donation with no public show would be easier to accept since it would not invite criticism.

I don't know, I think Cope Arena at the Madoff MAC Center has a nice ring to it!

Who are the Boneheads responsible for securing a donation and naming rights from a person who stole millions from others?

Just another "blackeye" luckily avoided.