Globe and Mail article “Ontario universities promise funding guide amid Carleton donor backlash”

Here is an article in the Globe and Mail entitled “Ontario universities promise funding guide amid Carleton donor backlash” which again discusses strings attached to major gifts.  In the article it discusses how some universities will come together to discuss gift acceptance issues so that some of these more controversial arrangements can be avoided.  Every university should have a gift acceptance policy.  It should also have up to date gifting agreements that reflect that policy.  The gift acceptance policy and gift agreements should be carefully considered to reflect the values and concerns of the university and its stakeholders.  Most gift acceptance policies I see from major Canadian charities are largely cut and paste jobs that are long on stating the obvious (‘we accept cash gifts’) and short on dealing with some of the difficult issues that get charities into trouble.