Open Thread: Feel-good Story of the Day [Y-not]

With all of the bad news these days, it's nice to find a news item that can restore our faith in humanity and make us feel good to be alive.

This is just such a story:

CEDAR CITY - U.S. Sen. Harry Reid is no longer a part of the Southern Utah University Outdoor Engagement Center. SUU President Scott Wyatt decided to make some changes that called for the Nevada senator's name to be removed from the building.

Several months ago, some concerned citizens met with Wyatt, calling for the removal of Reid's name from the center.

"We had people step up and pledge money towards removing his name. In five days I received pledges totaling $40,000 - in just five days," said Cedar City Councilman Paul Cozzens.

The only thing that would make this story more perfect is if the naming opportunity in question had been a daycare center. Amiright, morons?!

This is my favorite quote:

"Sen. Reid is part of the SUU alumni and he was gracious enough to grant the university the use of his name, and I didn't want to offend him in any way," Wyatt said.

MISSION NOT ACCOMPLISHED!

Also, this:

When Reid's name was applied to the center, it was believed donations would be forthcoming, but to this day no money has been given.

"They thought there would substantial donations from Harry Reid's friends," Wyatt said. "But there has never been any money donated for that purpose."

All kidding aside, in philanthropy it is generally really bad form to name something, particularly a permanent thing like a building, in hopes of attracting donations.

Purdue had (may still have) a huge science building that some dunderhead named after Lilly (of Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company that also runs the largest charitable foundation in Indiana). No gifts ever came and as the building aged it became more and more of a money pit for the University. Finding private money to undertake major repairs and renovations is quite difficult, doubly-so when the building in question is named after someone else.

The trend in higher ed giving these days is to move toward putting an expiration date on naming opportunities for things like stadiums and buildings. It reflects the reality that even a very large gift to build a building does not help the institution maintain and renovate that building twenty years down the line.

Back to the SUU story, in a truly bizarre move, the university has decided to keep Reid's name on a non-existent "center" and eventually transfer it to something when, I suppose, money comes in the door.

I think we should help the university decide on a new naming opportunity, don't you? I'll start the ball rolling...

5. Harry's House of Hair Designs
4. the Harry Reid Center for Tax Filings Studies
3. Happy Harry's Cowboy Poetry Slam Fest
2. the Reid Center for Advanced Government Inaction
1. the Harry Reid Day Care Center

I'm sure you all can do better!

Open thread to gloat and generally have fun.

posted by Open Blogger at 10:44 AM

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