[Hold My Own]

Dear Liberty Students, Faculty, and Staff,

What do you think Liberty University is worth to Lynchburg and the surrounding area? We are undertaking a project with Magnum Economic Consulting to assess Liberty University’s current economic impact. Below is a link to an anonymous survey that will assess your economic impact to the region. This information is a critical part of the overall impact that Liberty University has on the region and I personally ask that each of you take just a few minutes of your time to help us in this very important process.

Thank you.

http://schoolsurvey.us/liberty

Jerry Falwell, Jr.
Chancellor

[Sly Fox]

Great idea to put some teeth behind the school's bark.

[Rocketfan]

Dear Liberty Students, Faculty, and Staff,

What do you think Liberty University is worth to Lynchburg and the surrounding area? We are undertaking a project with Magnum Economic Consulting to assess Liberty University’s current economic impact. Below is a link to an anonymous survey that will assess your economic impact to the region. This information is a critical part of the overall impact that Liberty University has on the region and I personally ask that each of you take just a few minutes of your time to help us in this very important process.

Thank you.

http://schoolsurvey.us/liberty

Jerry Falwell, Jr.
Chancellor

Where is "Liberty Grad or Alumni" in there....

[flamesbball84]

Good idea. Even I get tired of the people bashing Liberty (sometimes just, more often not though) when you'd have to be a complete fool to not realize Liberty does have some positive impact on the area.

[Flamesfanva]

I work in retail and can say for a fact that our business goes down when the students are gone and goes up when they are back and when events such as CFAW happen.

[Cider Jim]

I filled mine out the minute I got the email. Great idea!

[Hold My Own]

"I may have some enemy's in Lynchburg but none of them are business owners" - Doc


That is an interesting thought Rocket, there are literally thousands of Alumni from all over the country that make this their home after they are done....perhaps alumni will be a focus in a future survey because those numbers alone should be worth sharing with Lynchburg decision makers.

[Hold My Own]

Dear Employee:

A very important election is scheduled for May 4, 2010, in Lynchburg, Va. The city, which is divided into four wards, is governed by a seven-member City Council. Each ward elects its own council member and three members are elected by the entire city at-large. Those three at-large seats will be up for grabs in May and the winners will serve four-year terms. This election will determine the future of this city in many respects.

This election is critical to LU’s future. We need every eligible faculty and staff member to register and vote to ensure that LU and its students will be treated fairly when decisions are made by local government regarding where tax dollars will be spent, what local roads and pedestrian facilities will be improved and how heavily LU and its students will be taxed.

For example, because LU students were not allowed to vote in the past, they already pay one of the highest meals taxes in the country when they eat off campus in the city. Also, the university is required to spend $12.5 million for city-mandated improvements under its current Conditional Use Permit. These mandates impact tuition rates negatively. The city is able to impose these mandates because City Council arbitrarily revoked LU’s zoning rights in 1991 when LU students were not allowed to vote (even though many dorm students in other cities in the state and nation were permitted to vote).

Your vote could not only put an end to such abuses of power, but it could also help this university provide better salaries, benefits and even parking because fewer expensive city-mandated improvements around campus will result in more funds being available for the university, its employees and students. Please do your part. If you are a city resident, please register and vote in City Council elections May 4. Help Liberty University fulfill its mission by simply exercising your rights as a citizen!

Liberty University has a long history of civic involvement and following the Biblical commandment to “Render unto Caesar.” One of the ways we do that is providing an avenue for you to register to vote.

If you live in the city of Lynchburg and would like to register to vote, visit the State Board of Elections website or fill out the attached voter registration form and return it to Human Resources (CN 750) or the Office of Student Leadership (SLAB 112) by April 9 so that we can submit the forms to the city registrar by the April 12 deadline.

Sincerely,

Chancellor Jerry Falwell, Jr.

P.S. Don’t forget to read the attached election Fact Sheet to see how voting impacts Liberty University.

http://www.liberty.edu/media/1616/email ... 0Sheet.pdf

[badger74]

I'd start my estimate at half a BILLION.

[rogers3]

I'm an alum. My first large contract was with LU in 1987, and it had nothing to do with personal connections or the fact that I had attended LU the previous two years. Doing business with the school has been a boon over the years; I have had to bid on jobs, and have lost some, but I have always appreciated the opportunity to do work for the school. I employ 16 people and pay thousands more in local taxes than the average high income wage earner living in a million dollar house. My company's local expenditures exceed 80,000 and my employees spend the majority of their money in the Burg. While the average Lynchburg pays a fraction of their car tax, I pay the full amount on my seven vehicles; the four largest don't get mileage deductions like the normal vehicle. I live in an historic district and I spend a good bit of money at downtown businesses.
There are many people in Lynchburg who are similar to me; they spent some years at LU and have now stepped out and opened successful businesses that contribute greatly to the area.

When reading the wacko comments in the paper, I want to say that this LU alum has done more for the city than most of the anti-LU types that comment, but it isn't really worth the time to respond... usually. I hope that effort is made to point out the importance that alumni play in the local economy.