Why is the University of Connecticut Foundation any different than a state agency?
That’s the thought behind new legislation to force the nonprofit to disclose its spending, the Student Press Law Center reports:
James Smith, the president of the Connecticut Council on Freedom of Information, said it is especially important for public universities to be open about their funds and expenditures.
“We think that the foundation is counter to transparency, and there’s just too much that the public doesn’t know about how the university is operated.”
Smith said the foundation is the only one in New England that’s exempt from state open records laws. But the foundation thinks it’s too delicate to withstand public scrutiny:
However, Derek Slap, the associate vice president for external relations for the foundation, said UConn Foundation members worry donations could decrease if it was required to disclose spending. He said there are many reasons people choose to donate anonymously, such as not wanting to disclose their financial status.
The foundation had a “record-setting” year by Slap’s own admission – $80 million raised for the university.
A similar bill died in committee last year, SPLC said.
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