I regret that the format changes when post - Aggie'64
Iam a Donor to the Permanently Endowed 12thMan Scholarship Program. We have a $50,000, 4 seat, family lifetime agreement
that includes our two sons, both A&M graduates. We opted to upgrade our 2015
and beyond seating from what we were offered by the 12th Man Foundationand gladly fully paid our Campaign Gift for the next 15 years. We have been season
football tickets since the '70's and proudly support other A&M activities. Idon't post very often, but I am quite concerned about all of the misinformation
concerning the 12th Man Foundation and their treatment of the Permanently Endowed 12th Man Scholarship Program Donorsrelative to the redevelopment of Kyle Field. There is no way I can support the
current lawsuits. We were never promised seats in any specific location. Our
seats did not change after our endowment. I am privileged and proud tobe a dedicated and loyal Aggie. I wear my ring from the A&M College of
Texas with great pride and value my degree diploma from Texas A&M
University, signed by
General Earl Rudder as one of my most cherished accomplishments. I leaned many things during myyears at A&M, but the best and most important is the Aggie Code of Honor - "An Aggie does not lie, cheat or steal, ortolerate those who do." Isuspect most Permanently Endowed Individual Donors are also formerstudents, and all are Aggies! Many, like me, became members of The AGGIE CLUB
before it became the 12th Man Foundation, but in spirit it still remainsthe Aggie Club. I strongly believe that the current 12th ManFoundation attempts to operate by the Aggie Code of Honor! Theyhave a thankless task in reseating Kyle Field for 2015 and have, IMO, attempted
to be fair while realizing it impossible to please everyone. Asa Permanently Endowed Donor, I am, overall, pleased with the efforts of the 12thMan! Here is what I feel allof this uproar is all about and I suspect that we Endowed Donors are at fault!!
We never paid serious attention to the Priority Points System!! I admit that I never hada reason to really pay serious attention to the Priority Points system or the calculations until our parking wasrelocated from Lot A. I have not always been happy with some of their decisions.
I am still bitter about the changes in the parking. It didn't matter when I was
younger, but now it makes a big difference to us older folks. I suspect most other ED'salso never paid serious attention and totally trusted the 12th Man.Looking back I do not think the PP system and/or calculations treated me
fairly. We received 1,000 PP's for have a 4 seat endowment instead of2,000 Priority Points for a $50,000 donation. It is my understanding that there
are numerous and varied types of endowment contracts. Others have received 500
PP's for a 2 seat endowment.. I feel the PP's credited to each ED should have
been based upon the amount of $'s actually donated for each endowment. I
suspect some ED's benefited by the current system. Our 44 years of continuous giving amounts to morepriority points that does our $50,000 Endowment. We never received any PP'sfor the 4 complimentary season tickets we have received from the time our
endowment was fully paid. We receive no PP's for the annual $2,000 per seat
contribution credit which we now receive. We do not receive any PP's for our 4
Endowed Season Tickets. This amounts to 392 PP's for each year the PP's System
has been in place. This makes it impossible to remain completive or be inspired
by the PP System. For years we were in the top 200 to 300 but today we are just
outside the top 1,000. Thepoint is we are Aggies, let's get the facts, all of facts, before we get all stirred
up. As Aggies we all need to support andwork together to accomplish the goals and objectives our University has established.
That,simply, is why we Endowed Donors, "the problems" even exists today. Because we Aggies responded to A&M in atime of need and in turn received what has turned out to be a very good unexpected
deal. However, for many I am sure, it was quite a difficult decision at the
time we were approached. Personally, we had both of our sons attending A&M at
that time and paying out of state tuition. They were both members of the Corp
of Cadets, wore my 2nd hand Senior Boots and both graduated from theSchool of Engineering. Our oldest Ag graduated in
time to help pay a significant part of our Endowment. Ipersonally feel and sincerely believe that the 12th Man Foundationis doing their best to be fair and has honored their past commitments except
for the PP's system. Gig'em, Aggie '64
