Stereotypes mara columnist’s advice

To the Editor:

With all due respect to Bob Levey, his piece, “How a Journalist’s Eye Can Improve Fund Raising” (February 7), is disturbingly biased.

Mr. Levey notes that the prospective donor is “careful about his health” because he tops his toast with raspberry jam in a packet. If the donor is concerned about his health he would skip the butter and the jam.

“Since he mentioned her (the donor’s wife),” Mr. Levey proclaims and pronounces that “his wife should be part of all future fund-raising discussions.” Mr. Levey’s ah-ha moment is so ancient that it predates my early-1980s university-development gigs.

Major gifts are secured through the efforts of more than one person. To lace a prospective donor’s file with personal biases — that may be rooted in facts — exposes an institution to potential and real liabilities that exceed Mr. Levey’s annual salary.

Milton C. Simpson
President
Forward Communications
Miami