The following is a transcribed copy of what I got in my mailbox today repeated verbatim for the purpose of criticism.

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From: Office of the President
To: BYU-Idaho Friend:

Dear BYU-Idaho Friend:

The situation is perilous. Economic decline is having a grave impact on education. Institutions of learning struggle to pay their teachers, balance their budgets, and keep the doors open. And for those schools that do manage to keep running, many students stay away; their families simply cannot afford tuition.

This was the challenging situation faced by BYU-Idaho's founders 121 years ago.

You may recall the story of this institution's first principal, Jacob Spori, and his great sacrifice to cover the budget deficit of $177 in 1890. Principal Spori waived his salary while continuing to administer and teach. He took an additional job on the railroad and worked his farm to pay the salaries of other teachers. Spori's efforts and generosity kept the fledgling school afloat and allowed students to receive a valuable education.

The struggles faced by Jacob Spori and others resonate with us as we face our own economic challenges. Likewise, their courageous response is echoed in the generous actions of students, employees, and alumni of today. I have witnessed it many, many times.

I invite you to consider making a difference now for the young people of the Church who desire to further their education. By supporting the students of BYU-Idaho, you build on a foundation of faith and testimony that has been a part of this place since its beginning. I know that if you choose to help, students' lives and your life will be blessed.

Best regards,

Kim B. Clark

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Attached was a form to donate the amount of $177 (or more if desired).

Well CES. You see I might be less hesitant to donate money if you'd kindly disclose where it is going. I have no way of knowing if this goes to a student or not since you will not disclose your financials. For all I know, you're pocketing the money yourselves, or using it to restore that tabernacle in Provo, or maybe you just need to finish that mall. Who is to say...

What I do know is that your appeal to emotion to get me to send you a check does indicate that in these tough economic times, you're still willing to milk those loyal to you for all they are worth.

May you as an institution be taxed is my prayer. In the name of Je$us Chri$t amen.

And nobody mentioned this kind of thing at GC? On the other hand, maybe they're rolling in dough but want more...

The current administration isn't offering to waive their pay and take on an additional job, are they? They just ask everyone else to give more. Maybe they should follow the example they are using in the letter.

Something tells me that Kim Clark, and Tommy Monson will not waive their sacred salaries.

Kim Clark took a huge salary and prestige cut when the GAs asked him to leave Harvard to run this glorified high school.

We should probably cut him some slack.

Maybe they can get those old retired teachers to come back and work for free.

They can call it a service mission. They can pay to live in the dorms to help off set the cost of their missions.

rather lame, one, but why not send $1.77 instead?

Or how about $.0177 This allows for the generosity of rounding it up to 2 cents!

Devoted Exmo Wrote:
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> Or how about $.0177 This allows for the generosity of rounding it up to 2 cents!


But you'd have to explain that you were sending that amount - $.0177. Otherwise, they wouldn't get it!

Dear Ms Clark,
I gave at the office. The bishop's office, that is. Please contact Salt Lake City for any further requests.
Signed,
Former tithepayer

Every part of the church has their hands out constantly. Money, money, money, that's all they want.

In my day the mormon church used to make fun of the catholics for selling indulgences.

Church leaders all have degrees in BUSINESS.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2011 11:18PM by dr5.

"Church leaders all have degrees in BUSINESS."

That isn't true, some are doctors and lawyers. I guess that really doesn't help the situation much though.

You hire MBAs to run a corporation, not a church.

We all know that LDS, Inc. is just a religious themed corporation selling its feel good services to gullible Mormons. They are more interested in profit than prophesy.

This is the same form letter that they've been sending for 25 years.

BYU-I had a 20% increase in enrollment this year. That doesn't say that they are hurting to me.

It is so irritating, start with 10% of your gross income, a "generous" fast offering, Friends of Scouting (please donate $100), Book of Mormon fund, Missionary fund, Perpetual Education Fund, fund raising for any church school that might have your mailing address.

Why isn't 10% enough?

The church runs on guilt.

Great response....yes, no accountability - no help given. Such madness to keep begging like this....more money please, more money. Hope they fold.

Send the envelope back with a note indicating that you don't have the money but you were inspired by the Conference talks about prayers for chicken and Thomas Monson's lost $5, so you prayed that God would put $177 in the envelope by the time it reached them.

That's a typical request for money sent to alumni. I get those all the time from my alma mater which is a state school

well, instead of begging for money, maybe the cult should allocate more money for research at that university.

more research, more prestige, more grants, more students flow in, more patents, mo' money. hell, even uncle sam might start chipping in if they the students/faculty come up with some kick ass developments.

instead, they seem to concentrate in just getting their students married. great.

"Due to the 4 billion dollar sacred installation of a Mall in Salt Lake...our budget is shot to hell."


I am bracing for the 5% increase on tithing to 15%...it's either going to come or the brethren are going to keep getting guilt trip creative by making up new categories for accepting donations such as the Temple Trip fund or whatever it's called.

It may be worth noting that Kim B Clark's profession is stated as 'Professor Of Business'...

Part of my business (as a writer) is writing fundraising letters like this. (I just did one for another university in the Rocky Mountains, a public one.)

I don't see anything extraordinary about this. They're just using a 'bad times', 'pay cuts' and other general problems as a hook and trying to connect it to BYU-I. Notice there's no specific problem at the school identified, no mention of a crisis situation.

That you've come away from reading the letter with the sense that there's real trouble brewing only means they've accomplished part of their goal. (The main goal would be, of course, to get you to write that check, the one I know you're not going to write.)

If a real financial problems ever surfaces, you'll hear about it another way first.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2011 07:40AM by Lorraine aka síóg.