Dollar drain

As money troubles continue to pile up at San Diego State University’s owned-and-operated KPBS public broadcasting operation, the university’s tax-exempt foundation is advertising for help. According to a job notice recently posted on the nonprofit’s website, KPBS is looking for a “development assistant” to be paid $2505 to $2773 per month. The successful applicant will work “in support of the Producers Club, Gays & Lesbians for Public Broadcasting, [and the] major donors and planned giving programs.” Duties will include preparation of weekly and monthly income reports as well as “assisting with monthly renewal mail program; upgrading appeals and acquisition mailings; …maintaining donor records and histories; processing checks, [and] insuring thank you letters are sent.” In addition, the new employee will be expected to “coordinate [donor] cultivation event logistics and tours,” “attend and provide support at events. (This will involve working evenings and weekends.),” and “arrange for parking passes for guests.”

Last month, KPBS chief Tom Karlo, who makes a state salary of $215,262 a year, according to figures obtained by the Sacramento Bee under the California Public Records Act and confirmed by the university, sent an email to previous donors to the state-subsidized broadcasting outfit saying, “It’s an unfortunate fact that the regular annual support of our members is not sufficient to pay for all the outstanding programs you expect from KPBS. To make matters worse, the funding we receive from the State of California has been cut by over $200,000 in the past year alone.”