College foundation that's paying Palin to speak has seen its contributions fall

College foundation that's paying Palin to speak has seen its contributions fall

By Michael Doyle
mdoyle@mcclatchydc.com
The Sacramento Bee

Published: Saturday, Apr. 3, 2010 - 12:00 am | Page 4A


WASHINGTON – Tax records show leaner times for the college foundation now drawing fire for paying Sarah Palin an undisclosed sum to speak at California State University, Stanislaus.

Overall collections by the California State University Stanislaus Foundation fell by more than half over the past decade, tax records show. Fewer contributions, in turn, crimp the foundation's ability to help students and the Turlock-based university.

In fiscal 2001, the foundation reported collecting $8.9 million in gifts, grants and contributions. By 2004, that jumped to $10.3 million. But over the next several years, the foundation's fundraising slid to about $4 million in 2008.

From 2006 to mid-2008, meanwhile, the foundation also told the Internal Revenue Service that spending on scholarships and related services fell 40 percent. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/04/03/2652360/palin-fee-stanislaus.html

...if I'm not mistaken. We're also pushing sunshine legislation in the state assembly to bring some transparency to CSU foundation operations system wide. At my campus, the foundation is screwed down so tightly that the director cannot even send or receive email-- he communicates through a staffer. It is byzantine.