I think we have to be careful here about creating too
much emotion in our class discussions. I know
that many people feel strongly about their organizations, especially now that
we have gone on site visits and gotten to know the people who will be
benefiting from the money, but we need to be sure that we keep our emotions
balanced with reason.
It is interesting how quickly our feelings can change. When Debbie presented most students were 100% persuaded to give money to the Soup and Sandwich program. After the presentations the next week it seemed that Soup and Sandwich was not at the foremost of people's lists. Was this an emotional response or were people persuaded by the logic/information in the presentations? To help balance out our emotions I think that we need to have our reasoning for/against a group written down and supported with evidence so that our discussion tomorrow can be logical (if not argument free). If someone's idea is challenged they should be prepared to provide evidence that supports their decision. Now, I am not saying emotion cannot be a part of the process- I think that is necessary. What I mean is for everyone to understand the reasons for their emotion and be willing and able to explain those reasons to the rest of the class.
I thought Adam's post was very interesting and connected quite well to this idea- I think it will definitely bring about an emotional response rather than a logical one. I think that was a good strategy to bring up when we are all still considering our options but I do not think that anyone should try to play the Devil's Advocate tomorrow in class. These issues are important and I think many people will be offended or become argumentative if the organization's needs, or lack of, are exaggerated.
These issues are very important- the choices we make can be the first step in funding a large project or the last chance for an organization to succeed. I would like everyone to think clearly in class tomorrow and try to listen to the reasoning that others present in class. Even though we are coming down the final stretch there is still a lot we can learn from each other about the organizations. If we are willing to listen to what other have to say and gain the most information from others we will make the best decision. What do you think? Is this something we can prepare for or do you think emotion will rule the decision we make tomorrow?
If anyone wants to read how another group made it through their decision making process look at the blog from University of Maryland. They have some pretty interesting posts- do any of their difficulties sound familiar??
http://collegeparkphilanthropy.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/the-tough-part/
Hey Melissa!
ReplyDeleteI also read Adam post and I thought he made some awesome points. I agreed with him that we have to take into account all of the negative parts of all of organizations. A lot of people in class seem to be getting clouded by emotions and that was definitely obvious when we were all smitten by Debbie after her discussion of Soup and Sandwich. I agree with you that if someone makes a statement for an organization tomorrow, there must be a strong reasoning behind why the person feels the organization either deserves or does not deserve the grant money.
I think that emotion may lead to discussion getting messy during class. There are some generally strong minded people and there are some people who just feel so incredibly strong for organizations that there may be clashes. I hope that everyone realizes that no matter what, these 6 finalists made it to the finals for a reason. Even though I do not really wish to give to the Soup and Sandwich program anymore after my site visit, I still wouldn’t be angry if they received a small amount of the grant. These organizations are all doing great things and I doubt giving to any of these organizations would be considered the “wrong decision”. We do have to make smart decisions though and there is a focus on the largest amount of impact that we can make. Giving 10k to the Soup and Sandwich program would just be a silly idea and even Debbie, though ecstatic, would probably be doubtful of our motives behind that. Aside from making smart decision, we need to be calm during class tomorrow and also be willing to listen to our classmates.
The blog from University of Maryland is really interesting though! It even prompted me to find the blog from the class from last year to see their process. Looks like they had a difficult time too during the class where they decided how to allocate the money ;)
Melissa,
ReplyDeleteI am actually dreading tomorrow's conversation and I'm not afraid to admit it. I'm fearful of the exact things that you have mentioned in your blog post, our emotions always seem to get the best of us. Already in class, not just last week but in previous weeks as well, emotions have hit a high when people become passionate about what they believe in. I admit, I am guilty of it as well. My concern for tomorrow is that we are going to be too preoccupied with our own values and compassion, and less aware of what will best serve the community we currently live in. Community need is a huge aspect of this decision, and it fits into your argument to use logic to support a cause. We have talked about community needs, we have done research, and we have seen how the organizations in question tr to serve the community. I think tomorrow we need to ask ourselves, what is this organization doing for the community? Is it serving a Broome County need or just a universal need? Are they having positive outcomes? Are they able to sustain themselves to be an asset for Broome County in the future?
Here's to tomorrow being quite an interesting discussion!
Melissa, in answer to your question about preparation, I know one thing Dr. Campbell discussed with some of us on Friday was to make sure everyone had an equal opportunity to speak. After all, it's everyone's decision, and sometimes when people get really passionate they tend to dominate the conversation. But, as Professor Campbell pointed out, "Sometimes the people who speak the least have the most to say." I suggested that everyone be given a time limit and cap on the number of times they can talk, with the requirement that everyone talk at least once. If you're forced to really cut your argument to the bare minimum, that will make you really pay attention to whether or not what you're saying is important, logical, and well-reasoned.
ReplyDeleteHey Melissa,
ReplyDeleteI really like your post, you make some great points. As someone who has been a representative for an organization, I know that keeping my emotions in check will be hard. Of course I'd like to see the Hope Dispensary receive money - I've been in constant contact with them and have done a lot of research. I've become a little attached. While I do not think they should get the full 10,000 dollars, and while I definitely support some of the other organizations, I hope we at least keep them in consideration for a small amount tomorrow.
As many of you know, Laura and I are roommates. She is also a representative of an organization (the Boys and Girls Club). And she is just as passionate about her organization as I am about the Hope Dispensary. We've had a lot of talks about each of the organizations we'd like to support, and I know that we do not always see eye-to-eye. I also know that we will both be working as a voice for the organizations we have represented, which might put us at odds.
However, we are really great friends and we respect each other. In every conversation we have had, we really listened to each other and tried to understand the other side. Maybe there was still disagreement in the end, but I think I already hit on the key word: respect.
I think that as long as we keep that word in mind tomorrow we will be fine. As long as we hear each other out and keep our cool, we will come to a decision that, even if we all don't agree, we can all be satisfied with.
Melissa, you definitely made some important points about how we should be using our reasoning in conjunction with emotion and not let our emotion overpower our reasoning. As I said in my blog post previously, I agree with your notion and was even confused as to why two of the lowest voted organizations were in our finalist group in the first place. In my personal opinion, I believe a lot of people were compelled to donate toward Debbie's cause because of her charismatic personality as well as her passion for her philanthropy. However, I do remember our class in the beginning of the semester stating that we would rather not donate towards causes that feed the poor, but donate towards organizations that combat poverty in its roots. Additionally, my thoughts with KOPERNIK is that although they do require our grant, the community need does not require the services of KOPERNIK. Rather, I believe the money would have a larger impact on essential areas of education rather than the supplemental areas of education provided by the organization.
ReplyDeleteI understand that most of our classmates have different values and issue areas, but there are certain organizations that we can certainly rule out. Also, we need to recognize that funding a portion of an organization's needs may incite other grant funders to donate toward the same cause. I will be very interested in what we all have to say about these organizations in our discussion.
Melissa,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you completely. We were all struggling to separate our emotional attachments to the organizations we felt strongly about and the organizations we acknowledged for their programs and efficiency. Initially, I was not a big supporter of the Soup and Sandwich Program because like many have said before, the organization provides a “band-aid” service rather than an impactful solution to reform the community. The Soup and Sandwich Program is also limited in terms of resources and outreach. If the class chooses to give intelligently, it’s inevitable for us to eliminate the Soup and Sandwich Program. However, all of us fell in love with Debbie; she was charming and charismatic, and absolutely passionate about her organization. For me, philanthropy is incomplete without passion and dedication, even if it is effective because giving should touch both donors and receivers. It’s important for us to make a difference in our communities, but it is just as important for us to make a difference in our hearts.
Melissa, I’m struggling with this too. My attachment to the SOS Shelter and VINES made me realized how heartbreaking it would be if the class decides to give money to other organizations. But this is not to say I’m dissatisfied. In fact, when I was working with my group, everyone was able to persuade and inform the others of their organizations’ needs. I definitely found group discussion very helpful and informative and I hope that today, whatever decision we make, everyone will find some common grounds they can share with each other and most importantly, a balance of our heads and our hearts.