CBS: Has College Football Peaked?

[Statler]

Always remember....

It's...M.O.N.E.Y that drives the bus.

Bean Counters and Marketing Gurus have to believe that the money is right before the trend is changed.

[Mexmustang]

Mix in all the foreign students making up the student body today (that have no cultural background in charitable giving) and future alumni giving is at serious risk.

Are you sure about that? I doubt the US is the only country with a history and tradition of charitable giving.

Not suggesting that the US is the only country with a record of giving. I am just voicing my opinion on the characteristics of those groups making up SMU's foreign student/alumni base--primarily Mexico and the rest of Latin America and India.

I has been my first hand experience with extremely wealthy people in Latin America, and the Far East, including India, that they do not have a culteral background in "giving".

For over a decade, I was the executive director of finance and administration (CFO) of one of the largest groups (35,000 direct and 230,000 indirect employess) in Latin America owned by one of the wealthiest families. In addition to the corporate side I was heavily involved in the family business as well. Got three members into SMU and never saw a dime of giving to any charity, including SMU-(save for small participations in "social events"). Never saw any record of giving from the boss (one of the top five on Forbes Latin list) nor our wealthy board members. Money stays within the family and supports those within it that are less successful rather than given to "causes" or universities. Culturally, the family comes first, second and third. etc. (and specially lazy son in laws).

These opinions were first related to me by a former Vice President of Development of SMU (now deceased) over his frustration at the lack of this group's record of "giving". Maybe I am wrong, but that has been my experience. Maybe it has changed, but I very much doubt it.

Maybe someone knows our current experience?

[NavyCrimson]

You are dead-on Mex speaking from my own experiences with various groups & cultures. It is uniquely American & it goes back to our founding as a country.