Here are the facts about Duquesne's finances

Law professor Bruce Ledewitz's Jan. 22 letter claims financial difficulties and fundraising troubles at Duquesne University and lays much of the blame on university president Charles Dougherty ("The Sale of WDUQ Reveals a Leadership Failure"). Professor Ledewitz's assertions are unfounded and ignore the following facts about Duquesne's financial performance.

The university recently completed its 20th consecutive year with a balanced budget. Standard & Poor's reaffirmed the university's bond rating to A-/positive outlook. S&P noted solid financial performance, a low debt burden, strong fundraising performance, good demand characteristics and a seasoned management team.

Since fiscal year 2002, applications increased 85.2 percent, enrollment rose 8.5 percent and the endowment grew 35.1 percent. Last year, universities nationwide froze salaries and cut jobs. Duquesne raised salaries 2.5 percent and cut no jobs last year. The university is investing $8.5 million relocating Physics and renovating the Bayer Learning Center to accommodate growth in the School of Pharmacy.

The current capital campaign is nearing $100 million. During this campaign, 18 individuals have made gifts of $1 million or more. During the entire history of the university prior to this campaign, there were only six gifts of this size. Foundations and corporations have made campaign gifts totaling $25.6 million, including the second-largest foundation gift in university history, $2 million from the R.K. Mellon Foundation. Including all sources during this period -- National Science Foundation/National Institutes of Health grants, sponsored research, external scholarships -- external funding has exceeded $215 million. Last year, during the worst economy since the Great Depression, gifts to the university rose 5.5 percent. During the same period, giving to higher education nationally decreased by approximately 4 percent.

The university has had effective financial management and strong fundraising results during President Dougherty's tenure. It is unfortunate that Professor Ledewitz chose to ignore these facts and make statements that are reckless and untruthful.

THADDEUS J. SENKO
New York, N.Y.

The writer is a partner with KPMG LLP and a member of the audit and finance and development committees of the Duquesne University board of directors.

Realistic checks

Wake up, America! They are taking away our rights while they are reading the terrorists theirs. How much more are we willing to give up to "be safe"? What a joke. This latest guy was putting up flares and they didn't get it.

Most people who get on a plane are just trying to get from Point A to Point B. There is no reason that the technology available cannot make it possible for the person who travels on a regular basis to have official clearance after some detailed screening to avoid this ridiculous scene we have today.

As syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer stated in an assessment of the El Al policies that have been so successful: "The Israelis look for a terrorist, we look for tweezers." After the "shoe bomber" we all had to take our shoes off going through security. This latest clown had the explosives in his underwear. What's next, cavity searches? We are treated like common criminals just to conduct business or go see Grandma.

For those who are squeamish about profiling, I would like to have an album put together of the pictures of those who have been involved in the attacks thus far. If they were all blond-haired, blue-eyed females, I would expect the authorities to take a good look at my background. Does it mean that every dark-skinned, dark-eyed person should have to be screened more carefully? No, but we ought to take a close look at those whose father comes to our embassy concerned about what his son might be up to and at someone who pays cash, has no luggage and is headed for Detroit in the winter without a coat.

It is time that we stop accepting new restrictions, when what we need is a realistic approach to recognizing those for whom we are looking.

PEGGIE P. RICHARDSON
Upper St. Clair

Effective security

It is overdue for the U.S. government and airline carriers to seriously consider adopting some El Al Airlines security policies. Qualified, trained, employed law enforcement officers traveling for business or pleasure should be given reduced priced tickets for training and joining airline security measures during their flights.

These unannounced officers would carry concealed firearms on their flights performing as flight marshals. With this measure in place (assuming that our airlines and government agencies have the acumen to regulate this simple task) prospective hijackers would be out of business.

The tons of equipment and regulations in place are expensive and still leave a lot to be desired.

This may not be an original suggestion, but the public should continue to bring it up until we do something more effective and less expensive.

KEN HEISS
Mount Washington

EITC and us

You might not have it on your calendars, but today marks National Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day. Not ringing any bells? Please let me explain why this is of critical importance to our region.

Every year thousands of low-income individuals in our community fail to access valuable tax credits aimed at boosting their incomes. In fact, according to the Internal Revenue Service, 20 to 25 percent of those eligible for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit (a credit targeted toward low-income working families) fail to claim it every year. If this is true in Allegheny County, it means that our residents fail to tap as much as $38 million every year -- money meant to go into the pockets of hard-working families and into our local economy. The federal Earned Income Tax Credit is available for working families with incomes of up to $48,279. The amount of the credit can be as much as $5,657 -- that's 41/2 months' pay for someone working full time at minimum wage!

Please join the United Way and our partners through the Money in Your Pocket Coalition (Just Harvest, Parental Stress Center, Goodwill Industries and United Cerebral Palsy) as we seek to raise awareness about this critical community resource and provide free tax services to low-income people.

Now is not the time for us to allow funds of this magnitude to go unclaimed by those who have earned them. For more information about how to get involved during this tax filing season, please contact United Way's HelpLine at (412) 255-1155.

ROBERT NELKIN
President and Chief Professional Officer
United Way of Allegheny County
Strip District

Coordinated care would help people and save money

In the article "For Republicans, Health Reform Is 'Just Beginning' " (Jan. 22), a reference was made to "managed care" as a recommended practice. I actually advocated for "coordinated care," which is very different. In the 1990s, "managed care" became associated with denials for doctors, hospitals or treatments because they were "out of network." As a state senator, I authored Pennsylvania's Patients Bill of Rights, outlawing many of these practices.

Coordinated care is very different. Using evidence-based medicine, doctors and nurses coordinate very complex medical care for people with chronic illnesses like diabetes, hypertension and congestive heart failure. Also called "disease management," coordinated care ensures that patients follow through on prescriptions, therapies, lab work, diet, treatments and post-surgical care. For example, nurses help to keep diabetics' glucose levels in check, thereby avoiding costly complications and rehospitalizations for vision loss, amputation and kidney failure.

The sad irony is that the health care bills passed by the House and Senate cut $500 billion from Medicare, eliminating the disease management programs run by Medicare Advantage insurers. With chronic illness consuming 75 percent of all health care spending and 95 percent of Medicare's budget, these cuts may be penny-wise but pound-foolish. Medicare and Medicaid will pay for hospitalization and surgeries, but not the coordinated care necessary to prevent costlier complications.

In October 2007, researchers with the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease concluded that chronic illness costs the economy $1 trillion. But in fewer than 15 years, broader use of prevention, early diagnosis and chronic disease management programs would decrease treatment costs and increase productivity by $1.1 trillion annually.

It might also save Medicare from impending bankruptcy.

U.S. REP. TIM MURPHY
Upper St. Clair

The writer is a Republican representing the 18th Congressional District.

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