Chris Blattman

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The best idea I’ve heard all day

In lieu of adding to Harvard’s gazillion dollar endowment

A few hundred alumni have formed Harvard Alumni for Social Action, to try to channel 25th-reunion giving to destitute universities in Africa. In three years, we’ve raised $425,000 — a lot for the University of Dar es Salaam but hardly a match for our annual class “gift.” And evidently not enough to win the respect of President Faust, who has begged off meeting the group. Harvard clearly doesn’t like any effort that might divert a dollar away from its Cambridge coffers.

From Carroll Bogert’s op-ed in the Times.

2 Responses

  1. Dear Chris,

    Thanks for your wonderful endorsement of our growing organization, Harvard Alumni for Social Action. We hope to inspire others from wealthy universities to launch similar organizations.

    Our goal is a paradigm shift in alumni giving. Instead of donating to one’s wealthy alma mater, why not organize a class gift to a poor university “in honor of” one’s alma mater? This could help to reduce some of the extraordinary educational disparities in the world. Poor universities produce alumni who rarely can give much of anything back to their institution.

    So if anyone would like to form YASA (Yale Alumni for Social Action) or PASA (Princeton Alumni for Social Action) or even DASA…just let me know. I’d be delighted to give some pointers.

    Warmly,
    Paula Tavrow
    Founder, Harvard Alumni for Social Action

  2. That really is a great idea! Nice to know that they will put that money towards a good cause.

    The world definitely needs better educational infrastructure (not just in Africa and not just in other countries). I am sure that HASA will gain momentum and be able to overcome the impediments to their do-gooding. Alumni at other Universities will probably follow suit as well.

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