The fundraising campaign at the University of California just got a little stranger.
Two weeks ago, the UC ended its six-week Promise for Education campaign, which aimed to raise scholarship money for UC students in need.
During the six-week campaign, students, alumni and administrators raised $1.3 million for the UC by agreeing to perform unique tasks in exchange for donations.
According to the Los Angeles Times, one UC student agreed to wear a fake horse head around campus for a week in exchange for a $200 donation. Another group of students offered to wash several cars for $1,230.
Supporters of this campaign included celebrities David Spade, Jamie Foxx and Wilmer Valderrama.
The top fundraiser in the campaign was UC Irvine Chancellor Michael Drake, according to the LA Times. In exchange for $21,443 in donations, Drake agreed to lead the top donors on a bike ride.
With a need for scholarship funding in public higher education, we admire the UC’s unique fundraising campaign.
With nearly 4,000 donors participating in the Promise for Education campaign, the campaign was clearly successful.
Performing zany tasks to raise $1.3 million for students in need is something the Cal State University should consider emulating.
We all know that money is hard to come by in these tough budgetary times.
Last week, the CSU Board of Trustees showed that Gov. Jerry Brown’s proposed state funding for the system in 2014-15 is $95.4 million less than what the CSU desires.
If the CSU was to launch a similar campaign for scholarship funds or another area of financial need, the results could be astonishing.
Some critics of the UC campaign may say that performing funny or ridiculous tasks could undermine the prestige or credibility of the UC system.
But when you need money, you need money.
We don’t think UC students, professors, and alumni should demean themselves for donations, but wearing a horse head around campus for $200 couldn’t hurt.
The UC is looking to provide students with more scholarships. That alone shines a favorable light on the system.
If these campaigns can bring public universities more money for students, then we’re all for it. We’d like to see a similar scholarship campaign in the CSU.
Innovation like this campaign are needed to freshen things up.