I Fought the Law

A Generous Man

This post is directed at all the Boalt alums who read this blog, of which I believe there are surprisingly few. I received my copy of the Annual Report of Philanthropy yesterday, in which the school lists all the people who've donated in the previous year and the ranges of their respective donations. I'd just like to make it absolutely clear that I did, in fact, make a donation to the law school last year, and the fact that my name doesn't appear in the report is a result of Boalt's ongoing efforts to deny my existence and disassociate themselves from my person. This campaign is long-standing and well-founded and illustrated by the email exchange below from December. Incidentally, this exchange prompted one of my classmates to tell me that I'm "kind of a dick."

From: Boalt Hall
To: Matt
Date: Dec 13, 2005 2:53 PM
Subject: Congratulations!

Dear Matthew,

It was a pleasure seeing so many of you celebrate your admission to the bar here at Boalt. We are very proud of your accomplishments and wish you continued success in all of your endeavors. Please be sure to keep in touch and let us know where you are and how you are doing.

Again, our congratulations and very best wishes.

Best regards,

Jacqueline Ervin
Executive Director

P.S. Check-out our website for photos from the swearing-in ceremony at http://www.law.berkeley.edu/alumni/events/past/2005/statebar/.

From: Matt
To: Boalt Hall
Date: Dec 13, 2005 3:03 PM
Subject: Re: Congratulations!

All right. Next time I'm at one of these things and the photographer comes around sticking his camera in my face I'm going to tell him to take a walk. No matter how many Boalt events I go to, I never seem to make it into the official album afterwards. It's like I'm freakin' invisible. I KNOW there were photos of me and my family, and they've once again been excised from the official record. Clearly, there's something about my appearance that compels the PR folks at Boalt to want to disassociate the school from me. I can only suffer so many such blows to my self esteem.

Honestly.

Matt

P.S. In the interest of keeping in touch, I have a new address. Please send the Dean's heart-felt messages here from now on: [New address.]

From: Sarah
To: Matt
Date: Dec 13, 2005 3:38 PM
Subject: Re: Congratulations!

Dear Matt,

Thank you for updating your contact information - that way the Dean will be sure to drop you a line sometime soon! We have added a picture of you to the photo album, but incidentally, before we received your email, we put a picture that has you in it as the opening photo for the whole story! Please check it out: www.law.berkeley.edu. So actually you made the FRONT page!

Take care,
Sarah

Posted by hb at January 21, 2007 07:42 PM