Dear <NAME REDACTED FOR PRIVACY>,
Thank you for your question requesting more information on how the funds being raised for Dippikill will be used.
All we know is that this is a UAlbany Fund fund earmarked directly for Dippikill and that funds are collected by the Office of University Advancement.
Donations cannot be used for any other purpose and must be turned over to Dippikill, Inc.
There have been rumors over the years that when people make a donation to the UAlbany Fund through the general donation portal and select Dippikill the funds never make it to Dippikill. That is why I insisted on a pre-populated link that shows Dippikill is the sole benefactor. Given the link is being disseminated under the label of our "Dippikill Appeal," this should resolve the issue if it is in fact a problem these days.
I brought this up during my call earlier in the month with VP Sanai and he denied that this has ever happened.
I immediately made the first donation upon receipt of the link. I will be filing a FOIL request demanding records that show all 2024 payments from the UAlbany Fund to Dippikill broken down by month to keep them honest. Rest assured, I have already filed two FOIL requests regarding Dippikill records so they should expect this is coming.
As for your specific question, it would be up to the Dippikill Board and Student Association as to how the money is applied. I would aspect given a $60,000 revenue deficit last year in terms of the theory that this non-profit should essentially break even, that the funds would apply to the revenue shortfall likely to happen this year if only due to the loss of cabin rental income during the period of closure, which will hopefully end soon.
In any event, these funds should have a positive effect on budgeting for the upcoming fiscal year.
We should look at it this way. Anything helps.
And if there was a nefarious plan to sell before we blew the whistle and thwarted it, and the agenda was to close Dippikill, prevent rental income from coming in due to their decision to close, and thereby justify a sale become of a bigger "loss" than last year, these donations will mitigate that malicious goal.
I will post this email with your name redacted for your privacy to inform SA Alumni and Dippikill Supporters in response to your question.
Thank you for your support and interest to SAVE DIPPIKILL!
Happy Holidays...
Regards,
/s/ JAMES LAMB
The donation link follows: