‘They became responsive’

Nevada regents jumped at the chance when millionaire TV station owner Jim Rogers said he was willing to serve as chancellor of the state university system on an interim basis, for little or no pay. After all, Mr. Rogers had proved more than capable of helping colleges and universities in the Southwest raise millions of dollars in donations. From time to time, though, the dynamics of the no-longer-temporary relationship have left some wondering who's working for whom.

In August, Mr. Rogers said he and his family would no longer consider donating $3 million to the University of Nevada, Reno, because of a regent's negative comments on his job evaluation -- a costly miscalculation.

Last week, another local group discovered Mr. Rogers' charities aren't exactly "blind."

Since 2005, Mr. Rogers by his own reckoning has spent between $40,000 and $50,000 sponsoring monthly Diversity Forum luncheons, which are held alternately in Las Vegas and Reno.

But Mr. Rogers told leaders of the state's minority community that he would no longer sponsor the Diversity Forum luncheons because those community leaders were not purchasing $500-a-seat tickets to a Saturday fundraising dinner for Mr. Rogers' pet project -- the Nevada Health Sciences System.

That got some quick attention.

"I said, 'I have supported you, but it's apparently a one-way street, and I'm not going to do it anymore,' " Mr. Rogers told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "Then they told me they didn't realize how important the Health Sciences System was to me, and they became responsive, so I said I would continue to sponsor the luncheons."

They "became responsive" once they realized "how important the Health Sciences System was to me." What a wonderful phrase.

Now, Mr. Rogers has the right to dispose of his wealth as he sees fit. And let's not be naive. These kinds of "quid pro quos" are common enough in the real world.

The difference with Mr. Rogers is that his reward-and-punish incentives tend to be so blatant -- and so public.

Sure, maybe it's better for everything to be out in the open. As a reminder, though, perhaps his checks should come with little strings attached.