[Alumni-chat] Developing Social Entrepreneurs at Antioch

[Mark Pomerantz]

Mike,

I'm trying to be patient and respectful, but I'm sorry. I don't buy the
argument that alums have to come up with the ideas and raise all the money
too, while the administration just does crisis management. I told you about
the Kauffman Campus Initiatives Program and what they are doing with Ohio
Colleges. I've offered to work on behalf of the College on these ideas with
other foundations also, but I need the College's support. I can't just go
off on my own. That's not the way things work in the real world.

Mark P. '71

-----Original Message-----
From: alumni-chat-bounces at w3.antioch.edu
[mailto:alumni-chat-bounces at w3.antioch.edu] On Behalf Of Michael Brower
Sent: Wednesday, May 16, 2007 8:39 PM
To: alumni-chat at w3.antioch.edu
Cc: Michael Brower
Subject: [Alumni-chat] Developing Social Entrepreneurs at Antioch

Earlier today Mark Pomerantz wrote a response to my post about he and  
other Alums having to go find millionaires and billionaires or  
foundations willing to fund whole new programs and centers, even  
including one as potentially valuable as his idea of a Center or  
Program to develop Social Entrepreneurs.

Mark wrote:   "It is up to the administration to take these ideas to  
foundations and get funding. Foundations are not going to listen to  
well-intentioned alums. They want buy-in from the college leadership."

Mark, I apologize for not making myself clear.  Of course foundations  
or other wealthy donors want buy-in from the college leadership.  I  
should have been more clear about this.  You are right.

But you closed your post by writing:  "Unless some kind billionaire  
steps forward there is nothing else I can do."

And that is where I disagree with you.  Of course there is something  
else you, and other Alums can do.  YOU go find that billionaire or a  
foundation, or that group of well-heeled and willing donors  
interested in your new idea, your new program, which I agree has  
merit.  When you have a potential funding source seriously  
interested, THEN you go to President Steve Lawry, and/or a new Dean  
of Faculty, and/or a faculty Committee, and/or AdCil with your great  
idea, backed by potential funding, and THEN you will see serious  
interest.  And if you want, I will go with you, and help you make the  
appointments.

But until you show that potential funding, you are putting the cart  
before the horse.  You hoped and expected and still apparently expect  
that President Steve Lawry and his tiny over-stretched staff, working  
day and night to try to balance the books and keep Antioch afloat,  
would drop all that work, would set it aside, in order to approach  
many many foundations and donors trying to sell them on a whole new  
idea.  Antioch just simply does not have the staff and resources to  
do both right now.

In other messages posted here you have suggested Antioch look at  
Berea College in Kentucky, and Oberlin and other competitors.  Did  
you know that Berea has an endowment of $1 BILLION?  And Oberlin an  
endowment of about (not exactly) 3/4 Billion?

Somebody please post the current Antioch endowment.  What is it?   
Around $30 Million?  Not even 1/20th the endowment, not even 5% of  
the endowment, of Oberlin.

Mark, when you and I and other Alums go out and raise the huge  
additional endowment money needed to launch exciting new programs --  
then they become possible.  But not until then.   Don't lay this  
expectation on Lawry and other staff.  They are trying to balance the  
budget and keep Antioch alive.  This bold new expansion to the future  
is YOUR job and mine and all of ours.

So, go find that new money.  And then you and I will go to Steve and  
AdCil and the Faculty and the Chancellor and, if necessary the Board  
of Trustees, and they will study it and shape it and mold it to fit  
the Antioch priorities as they see them, and THEN they will be fully  
involved with the donors and foundations.

-- Mike Brower  '55, Member, Alumni Board


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