Framingham State officials apologize for irreverent fund-raising letter

October 21, 2008 03:06 PM Email| Comments (2)| Text size – +

By Martin Finucane, Globe Staff

Framingham State College officials have apologized to alumni for a fund-raising letter to recent graduates that, in an apparent attempt to strike an irreverent tone, mixed the usual, earnest pitch for donations with long sections of “blah, blah, blah.”

“Today, the fact of the matter is that deserving students need help to finance their education. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,” one section of the Sept. 5 letter said. The letter also included three other long "blah, blah" passages.

“Our decision to send you a letter containing the words “blah blah” was a misguided and embarrassing attempt to connect with alumni in a different way,” Christopher P. Hendry, vice president of college advancement, said in an Oct. 3 apology letter. “A few of you thought the letter amusing; others were offended, and for that I sincerely apologize. The last thing we want to be is disrespectful to you as a valued member of the Framingham State College alumni community.”

“I hope you will forgive our error and continue to be proud of Framingham State College,” the letter said.

“I guess at the time they felt it might be a way to catch the eye of younger alums,” said Peter Chisholm, a college spokesman. Noting that the apology had been sent earlier this month, Chisholm said the letter was “old news” and said the college considered the issue “over and done with now.”

“I think it was a poor attempt at creating a document that would reach the younger alumni. ... But I think the idea was right. They do need to be more creative to reach out to the recent graduates,” said Steve Whittemore, president of the student government.

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2 comments so far...

I am an alumnus of FSC and in receipt of both the original "blah blah" letter, and the subsequent apology. I know a lot of people who did not attend the college are responding that FSC alumni need to "lighten up." Normally I would agree, but there is some deep rooted psychology at play here.
As an alumnus, I have to defend my choice in college to those who attended "brand name" universities, especially in Massachusetts. I know that state colleges are looked upon as lesser. This "blah blah" letter just makes me have to defend the college's integrity even more!

Posted by Sandra Stevens October 27, 08 08:53 AM

The fundraising letter was impudent and childish. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I hope that the administration will more seriously consider the ramifications of their actions.

Posted by John Thompson October 28, 08 02:05 AM