The purpose of the organization, according to Arkes, is to provide lectures, colloquia and, ideally, additional faculty members with conservative viewpoints.
Arkes said that his foundation adds to the intellectual discourse on campus.
"It can't be at odds to put forward these voices that would otherwise not be heard [on campus]," said Arkes. "The teachings of the American founding and Lincoln stand in [opposition] to the orthodoxy being taught on College campuses."
When the time comes for Arkes "to close my chapter at Amherst," he said that it would be detrimental to the College if the teachings of the founding fathers were not represented.
The Foundation was incorporated in the state of Minnesota in April of 2000 and hosted its first event at the colleges this weekend, a series of lectures, under the name of the Committee for the American Founding.
While academic diversity is an issue that Arkes would like to see raised, it is the nature of the Foundation's fundraising that has caught some members of the College community by surprise.
"I'm uneasy and uncomfortable whenever faculty members, students or staff attempt to raise money from Amherst alumni, which I feel ought to go into financial aid, support of our facilities and the support of our teaching and research," said President Tom Gerety. "The trouble is, I don't have the tools to turn my strong preference that everyone work within the procedures of the College into an enforceable rule. Nor should I have those tools, because if I did, we wouldn't be the free community that we are."
Dean of the Faculty Lisa Raskin refused to comment on whether a policy existed regarding faculty solicitation of alumni funds.
"Organized fundraising is not supposed to be done by the faculty in competition with the College," said Professor of Classics and Women's and Gender Studies Rick Griffiths. However, Griffiths added, there are varying degrees to which this policy is violated.
"It's a free country," said Arkes of the Foundation's ability to solicit funds from alumni. "Is someone telling me that I can't meet with past students?"
"First, I believe that Professor Arkes is exercising his rights of free speech and free inquiry in what he's doing," said Gerety. "Second, the College has a strong and legitimate interest in insuring that donations among alumni be for College purposes and with College approval."
According to Arkes, it is his "rough sense" that a majority of the funds collected by the Foundation comes from grant-giving foundations such as the Earhart, Bradley and Olin Foundations.
"My sense is that there are two or three foundations who have made relatively substantial gifts, and there are one or two alumni friends of [Arkes who have made significant contributions]," said Stephen Pflaum '62, an attorney who filed the articles of incorporation for the Foundation. However, Pflaum said that a significantly larger number of alumni have made smaller donations to the Foundation, ranging from $50 to $1,000.
"This has been a handful of alumni talking to a handful of their friends, not a professor broadcasting [a request for funds]," said Pflaum.
"We have been careful not to do anything that would interfere with the fundraising of the College," said Arkes. "This is really small potatoes compared to other things going on. We bring in first-rate speakers, and there's something about [this] that's subversive? It's bizarre."
Michael Petrino '68, treasurer of the foundation, said that he believes some alumni give funds to the Foundation who might not otherwise give at all.
"We've tried to reach out to people who have typically been alienated by the College," said Petrino. "The College has become decidedly unbalanced and has produced a dumbed-down curriculum over the last 20 years or so. What you've got is a pale imitation of a college."
"My personal opinion is that competing for funds with the College is a red herring," said Pflaum.
"I don't think we're competing with the College for funds," said Petrino. "That's always a good flag to wave to terrorize the College into action."
The foundation intends to use its funds to increase political and ideological diversity of the College's faculty.
"The point of view that [Arkes] and his supporters wish to hold or put forward might get lost amid the collegial processes of the faculty in the various processes of the institution," said Gerety.
Some professors are skeptical that political affiliation should play a role in hiring.
"We've been trying to get another classical studies professor for years," said Professor of Classics Rebecca Sinos, who added that political viewpoint should not be considered during hiring. "What do you do with a tenured professor who changes his political viewpoint?"
"I think [political affiliation] should affect some discussions about the long-range evolution of departments," said Professor of Economics Walter Nicholson, "but not about individual hiring decisions."
"I know our department has a range of political views, but not from very conservative to very liberal," Nicholson added, noting that the range of opinion was not extreme.