The Washington Post reported today on House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles B. Rangel's writing "letters on congressional stationery and has sought meetings to ask for corporate and foundation contributions for the Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at the City College of New York, a project that caused controversy last year when he won a $1.9 million congressional earmark to help start it. Republican critics dubbed the project Rangel's 'Monument to Me.'" He has also secured "two Department of Housing and Urban Development grants totaling $690,500 to help renovate the college-owned Harlem brownstone that will house the center." 

His fundraising goal is $30 million for an academic center, which will house his papers upon his retirement.  It isn't the fundraising goal that The Post reports as receiving scrutiny (we all can appreciate $30 million isn't what it once was); the fact that he is "soliciting donations from corporations with business interests before his panel" is drawing ire from his peers and watchdogs.

Colleges and universities should fully embrace gifts and pork, but you need to have a communications plan in place when the details are scrutinized. If CUNY is onboard with the Center, then they need to provide details regarding the academic impact of the Center and the ways in which it will advance the institution.  And they need to help the public understand why the scrutiny is misplaced, if it is misplaced.  Otherwise, the "Monument to Me" will continue to be a lightning rod and distraction for Rep. Rangel and CUNY.

-- Teresa Valerio Parrot