In the decision to continue with a golf camp program for Trenton children
during the summer months of this year, opposition will occur. I would like to
make some recommendations to quash this opposition before it begins.
Stakeholders: The college depends on support from
local businesses, alumni, students who attend the school, and the
people who live in Trenton and the local area. These people should
not be left out of the decision making process for this or any major
program sponsored by the college.
Opposition: While a program of this stature is likely to
raise the prestige of the school, any one of these
stakeholders may have an opposition to the program or one of its
factors. The greatest area of concern with this program is
sponsorship from Nike and Tiger Woods. Particular student
organizations, alumni of the school, certain business groups,
incoming students and local advocate groups are likely to protest
against the school’s affiliation with a business that has been
known to use sweatshop labor and its spokesman who will not state
his position on the issue. Alumni and business may discontinue
monetary support of the school and its programs, and incoming
students may decide to attend another school on the basis of these
same factors.
What to do: To allow the stakeholders to have a say in the
program, the college must alert them to its motives and intended
actions. To do this, newsletters may be sent to alumni and local
businesses to explain the rationale behind the program. A press
release is the best way to alert the public to the event. Student
and local advocate groups should receive a letter, explaining the
program and inviting them to a meeting with those in charge of the
program for a question and answer period and better summary of the
school’s motivation behind the program. On campus students should
receive an email with a message similar to that sent to
organizations. All methods of communications should specify the fact
that the school itself does not support sweatshop labor, and that
each stakeholder has a chance to question and state his position on
the program.
Reasons: These precautions should be taken for a number of
reasons. If the stakeholders are involved in the process, for
instance, they will realize that the decision is not easy and that
the college is interested in the Trenton community. This will help
them understand that their concerns are not being ignored and that
the school wishes to promote a working relationship with everyone
involved. It will allow the group, collectively, to hear and
question different opinions of each group and individual who has
one.