Many of our alums are elementary and high school teachers, at least in Michigan the take home pay of teachers hasn't increased very much the past 8 years. Most of our alums are true middle class that are squeezed by health care costs and can't afford to send our kids to EMU. And no a $1,000 "bonus" isn't going to help us much because its more $500 after taxes and two you raised my healthcare premium costs and deductibles last year more than you increased my pay (and please note dear employer that you have been doing that year after year). It no different for Social Security you get a cost of living raise but it gets eaten up completely by increases in your Medicare costs.

And yes they could make a small one time donation but it takes lots of those and lots of effort.