Carleton and the National Gallery of Canada have created a partnership to allow students into the gallery for free. The complimentary admission was made possible by a donation from the university to the gallery but both sides of the agreement are contractually bound to keep the details of the donation confidential.
Entering into partnerships that keep students in the dark is a problem.
Tuition fees make up an integral part of the university’s financial foundation, thus it’s only fair that students know how the school spends its money.
If the donation to the gallery came from tuition fees, students would want to have a say in the matter. But Carleton has not divulged whether or not the donation was paid with student money.
If funds from a private donor were used to pay the gallery, Carleton could have said so and this simple statement would probably put those at ease who are not interested in a free trip to the gallery. The university could keep the name of the donor confidential, but it should at least state whether or not the money it donated to the gallery came from students’ pockets or some other private source.
Either way, there should have been discussion before the deal was made to give members of Carleton’s community the chance to express their gratitude or concerns. The unveiling of this partnership came out spontaneously in a press release put out by the two parties and students and faculty never had a say in whether or not they believe this is a smart use of Carleton’s resources.
There is nothing wrong with the university making donations that give students freebies around the city. But Carleton should be more open about its actions so students can rest assured that their school is making wise financial choices and they’re not being completely left out of the decision-making process.