Vermont Considers Anonymity for HIgher Education Donations

The Vermont Senate cleared a bill to exempt certain donations to public higher education institutions from the state's public records law. Private donors who wish to remain anonymous could do so, although the amount and purpose of the donation would remain public. The identify of any donor who "transacts business" with the institution within three years of the donation would be public also.

The Vermont House will take up the bill this week.

For more information about the bill, click here.

Editorial: Higher-Education Foundations Should be Transparent

The Modesto Bee's publisher and president says the funding practices of higher-education foundations should be more transparent.  The non-profit foundations are typically controlled by campus presidents and board members and are funded by donors, and they are not subject to the California Public Records Act.  

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger could have increased transparency of these higher-education foundations by enacting Senate Bill 218, but he vetoed it instead.  

Click here for more about how a loan from the Sonoma State University Academic Foundation to one of its board members will cost the school at least $250,000  and could mean reduced student scholarships and campus events for the 2010-11 school year.

Schwarzenegger Vetoed Transparency Bills

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a SB 218, a bill authored by Sen. Leland Yee (D-San Francisco), which he says would have brought greater transparency and accountability to California's public higher education institutions.

SB 218 would have modified the California Public Records Act to include auxiliary organizations that perform government functions at the University of California, California State University, and California Community Colleges.

More here.