Britain's Universities Go Begging

Britain's Universities Go Begging: "Britain's Universities Go Begging
Cash-strapped colleges are following the U.S. example and turning to alumni for help, so far with no great success

Nearly two years ago, graduates of Oxford University's 488-year-old Corpus Christi College had their first taste of a distinctly American collegiate tradition: the fund-raising phone-a-thon. Students paid to dial up the college's alumni during spring break raised $280,000 to support graduate student grants. This spring, thanks to a donor who has offered matching funds, the college is poised to double that amount. 'These things are starting to happen,' says Peter Lampl, chairman of the educational Sutton Trust charity, who is donating the $188,000 to help Corpus Christi, his alma mater."