I give, and I specify that the money go toward financial aid.
I went to a state school. Why do they keep asking me for money when they are state subsidized? I pay taxes to the state (and I don’t even live there!) so why would I give MORE? I did have a scholarship but it was not from the school. I really wish they would leave me alone. I wish my mother had not given them my current address…
Yes, absolutely. Of late, I’ve only given directly to the English department, because I’m very, very angry about a number of decisions the Board of Visitors has made over the past year, but I can’t bring myself to stop giving entirely, particularly after the latest round of state budget cuts. I don’t like the idea of penalizing the current students and faculty for a decision many of them opposed, and I feel like the current economic situation is especially rough on public liberal arts colleges (like my alma mater, and like the school where I currently work). There’s a huge amount of pressure from state legislatures to turn all public institutions into Big-Box Megastores o’ Education, and I’m hoping that alumni donations are one of the means that will allow smaller schools to resist that pressure. (I’m under no illusions that my assistant professor’s mite will do much in concrete terms, but it’s the principle of the thing.)
Besides, I still feel a sense of community and connection to the place; I don’t know if this will be as true after all of my old profs have retired, but it’s true now, and I want to maintain that connection.
That said, I’ve never donated to my graduate university – I don’t feel as much attachment to the place as an institution, although I do feel reasonably warm and fuzzy about my own department, and since it’s a state flagship university, I don’t think it’s hurting for money in the way smaller schools are.
ETA: BTW, state-supported schools need alumni donations just as much as private ones do – more, really, since they’re often trying to do more on a lower budget. Hmm, maybe I should write that check to Graduate Alma Mater, after all…
I have given a few bucks now and then over the years towards scholarship programs at the schools I attended, since I didn’t have to pay a lot when I went. At times I have been a little flabbergasted when they call and ask for like $250 right off the bat. One of them called last night though, didn’t even dare ask for a specific amount and didn’t put up a fight when I declined.
Every paycheck with my State taxes.
Then tell them to leave you alone. Call them, ask to be put on their “Do Not Call” list. Ask them to wipe your address.
We will do that. Seriously. If someone doesn’t want our magazine or be solicited, and we know that, it’s not in our interest or their interest to keep contacting them. It costs us money and wastes their time.
I don’t give money to the college I graduated from, although I do feel guilty about it. Maybe someday I will feel financially comfortable enough to do so…they are a state school and as someone mentioned they face budget cuts, don’t have a huge endowment, do try to give many students from poorer families a place to attend school, etc, etc.
I did get a fundraising request from the public High School I went to in a fairly affluent area of New York State. Actually it wasn’t from the school per se, but from an organization called “Friends of ______ High School” or something like that, which prominently mentioned its support of the sports teams. That one was rather easy to throw out.
I gave to my undergrad school (private) and I will again, if I ever find full-time employment.
I received a full-tuition scholarship, so I do feel like I should do my part.
Additionally, I know that tuition doesn’t cover all of the cost of educating a student. Schools and other not-for-profits have fundraising departments, sure. Big, non-alumni donors tend to look at the percentage of alumni supporting their alma maters; why should they fund a school or organization when its alumni or members don’t?
Illogically, I don’t support the school where I earned my M.A., even though I did receive several merit tuition waivers. It was a state school; a big thank you to my fellow Illinois taxpayers.
I send small amounts to my undergraduate school pretty consistently (I think I’ve given the past five years or so). Tuition doesn’t cover everything at a school, and also by giving money students can get more financial aid.
I don’t send money to my graduate school, however. They treated me like shit from day one and will get nothing.
I can’t imagine ever donating to my undergrad, which is a branch of the University of California. I feel like I’ve given them enough money after living in (and being taxed by) the state for twenty-two years.
Right now I’m a grad student in a professional school at a large public university and I could envision donating to my school (although not the university as a whole, and to which I don’t have a particularly strong emotional attachment) in the future. Donors keep alive a lot of really cool programs that make it one of the top programs in the country. Keeping those programs alive --> top students will go there --> school will retain prestige --> my credentials look awesome --> I have kickass job and live happily ever after.
Yes, my husband and I give about $500 a year to our alma mater. It’s a good public university, but constantly underfunded due to a miserly (and uneducated) state senate. Basically, the half that goes to my department funds one field trip a year for its senior design class. They probably use it to tour a landfill. (And yes, I consider that a great cause! :p)
I don’t get this idea that “the university took so much money from me back then, I won’t give a bloody dime now”. Sure, I can definitely see not giving if you’re still saddled with student debt and can’t afford it. But if you can afford it and they really need it? Why not? It could help another poor soul graduate without being stuck with a lifetime of loan payments.
As a side note…I blame the recent upsurge in the “for-profit” universities for making education seem like nothing more than an exchange of money for knowledge, an attitude that seems unfortunately prevalent in this thread. 
I don’t now, but I do plan to in the future. Once all of my student loans are paid off, that is. I went to a very small private school that is struggling… At the start of my senior year, I thought I was going to have to drop out because my financial aid tanked–my mom had gotten a new job, and somehow all of her extra income got allocated by FAFSA as going toward my schooling, when in fact my parents refused to foot any of the bill. When I went in with withdrawl papers, the financial aid lady, told me to hold off for a few days and call back. She found more than $11,000 dollars in extra grants and scholarships for me. They ended up covering my entire tuition and room/board. That money came from generous alumni donors, and if I can make that difference for some student some day, I would like to be a part of it.
I used to give a little to my two colleges but, like most fund-raising groups, they’ve just come to the well too many times. I had to cut them off. It would help them personally I know. The school sure didn’t give me what I wanted for free so it is a little odd that they would be asking for a handout now. I still get calls from chirpy young college students asking for me to give to my old department. Sorry, I know the cash would help you directly and I know that old asshat of a department head is making you call but I’ve done my part and more.
My oldest son went to my Alma Mater and by the time his lazy ass got around to registering for a dorm room they were all gone. I had the pleasure of calling the housing office and shouting “So where the hell do all my alumni checks go?”. They found a room within seconds 
Yes. I give to my undergraduate institution every year, and have for more than a decade. If and when I have more money, I will give more. I hope someday to give them a really large sum, but know that I probably won’t ever be able to.
I scrimped and saved to be in college, and I also received significant university-provided financial aid to cover tuition, room & board. I am grateful and wish to express that gratitude by giving what I can.
I’ve donated money on several occasions to the foundation for my school. I’ve never given anything to my university.
Yes, state governments are notorious for fully funding every institution dependent on them.
Of course I give. I don’t give much because I don’t have much right now. But I give.
–Cliffy
I guess I’m in the minority here. I give my undergraduate school a lot of money. When I went there my family was broke so I got a lot of grants and scholarships from their financial aid office. I figure its only fair that since they were part of what made me successful I should repay them some.
Ed
I don’t yet - I’m not through with school and I’m broke - but UCLA will likely be inheriting the bulk of my estate. Basically for the same reason suranyi noted plus I am not planning to have kids, so who else am I going to give it to?
Whatever law school I end up at can probably go suck it though.
I don’t and it’s for a childish reason.
I went to a private girls’ college. That was important to my dad and me. My dad paid full price for the whole thing. The first week I was there we had one of those Presidents’ House receptions, where the president of the school promised that no matter what, the school would always be single-sex.
They went co-ed like two years after I graduated.
I know they had to because of the money (it’s always about money), but it still really annoyed me, so I don’t give them anything.
My dad gives to his college because he likes them a lot.
I wasn’t smart enough to get into my dad’s college.
I went to a private high school that gave me a generous amount of financial aid, I send them $50 now and again. They seem to make a big deal about getting a certain % of each class donate, even if everyone only gives a few dollars, so I take them at their word and just give a few dollars. When I have more money I’ll give more. I always designate the money for financial aid.
My undergrad is flagship state school, I paid out of state tuition with some scholarships, it still amazes me how little my undergrad education cost. I haven’t in the past but I’d consider donating to a particular effort. (although they would have to find my address first.)