Advocate groups working to balance donor trust and donor privacy are holding a public forum tonight to discuss ISU Foundation records, but Foundation President Tom Mitchell said he will not attend.

The forum, sponsored by the ISU branch of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Central Iowa branch of the Iowa Civil Liberties Union, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union. Sen. Johnie Hammond, D-Ames, and Neil Harl, distinguished professor of economics, will be on the panel.

Mitchell agreed to participate in the forum if the ICLU would provide a copy of the agenda. The ICLU did not provide a copy in time for Mitchell to prepare, he said, so he declined to be a member of the panel.

“The Foundation may find itself in the position of defending the privacy right of donors,” Mitchell said. “Facing such threats, especially the threat of litigation, it would be inappropriate for me to engage in public debate about the Foundation’s legal positions.”

Mitchell said the Foundation is committed to being as open as possible, but he said he is unwilling to disclose confidential donor information.

“The ICLU does good things for Iowans, as does the Foundation,” he said. “I have agreed to sit down with ICLU members and listen to their concerns.”

Harl, co-chair of Friends of Iowa State University, said it is important for the ISU community to understand what the group and others like it are suggesting.

“We want to focus attention on what is in the best interest of Iowa State, in keeping with the donors wishes relative to donor confidence,” Harl said. “We are not asking for the release of donor information the donors wish to keep private.”

The Friends of Iowa State is particularly concerned with the controversial handling of Marie Powers’ farm donation to the ISU Agricultural Foundation in 1995.

“We believe concerns like those surrounding the Foundation’s action with the Powers case will be less likely to happen if there is more openness,” Harl said. “It is clear that donors are concerned about the Powers case and that inconsistencies exist among the actions of the Foundation.”

The Foundation and the groups fighting to open the records are trying to help the university, Harl said.

“I firmly believe the Foundation and the groups fighting for open records are trying to be as much assistance to Iowa State as we can be,” he said. “There is just a significant difference in how we want to go about that.”