Response to proposals for a Fundraising Preference Service

31 March 2016

The Fundraising Preference Service (FPS) should reflect the clearly distinctive nature of the relationships we develop with our alumni and the genuinely different approaches universities use in fundraising.

As part of a risk-based approach to regulation, we believe there is a strong case for exempting universities from requirements of the FPS in all of their communications with alumni.

However, if the FPS does ultimately cover universities then the approach needs to allow individuals a simple option to choose to remain in contact with their university or universities. This will need to be presented in a way that is clear and easy for individuals to action while allowing them to opt out of contact from fundraising by other charities. One of the key challenges is that alumni do not think of their university in the same way they think about charities and most do not realise their university is a charity.

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