re: Your Yearly Reminder that LSU's Endowment is Very Low

When I was preparing to graduate with a Masters degree from LSU, I noticed that there was a $5 charge for lifetime membership in the alumni association. I called and explained that I was already a member of the association from undergraduate graduation, so please take the $5 charge off my fee bill. I was transferred to several people who could not explain why I was being charged. The last guy I spoke with said that the fee would go towards maintaining my association record “forever.” I said that it was great because I already paid for that in my prior graduation so please remove the charge. He told me that it depends on what my “definition of forever was.” I told him that it was apparent that the fee was going to remain so, in return, I told him that I would never donate money to the university in the future. He seemed okay with that and I thanked him for saving me far more than $5 down the road.

Decades later and I’ve kept up my end of the agreement. Screw ‘em.