Unsteady fund-raising aim at UMass

ACCORDING TO "Job shuffle, streamlining at UMass" (Page A1, May 16), upon taking over the dual roles of chancellor of the Amherst "flagship" campus and president of the University of Massachusetts system, Jack M. Wilson would push to move all private fund-raising to the president's office so that campuses are not competing for money among the same donors. This sounds good in theory, but much private giving to universities is earmarked to specific departments and programs. Further, institutions have been successful in highlighting the special circumstances that warrant the contributions of loyal and interested donors.

For example, what would become of efforts to support UMass athletics, which now solicits support for scholarships and facilities on a team basis? President Wilson will quickly learn that universities do not solicit donations on a systemwide basis, and efforts to do so harm all segments of the system, large and small.

JOHN W. MOORE
Amherst

The writer is professor emeritus of psychology at the UMass-Amherst.