Fluorescence, photoacoustic calorimetry, and picosecond optical calorimetry studies on the rigid donor-spacer-acceptor (DSA) molecule, 1, in alkane and ether solvents are reported. The charge transfer (CT) state of 1 is formed with unit quantum efficiency and decays by numerous processes. Charge recombination from the CT state generates both the ground state and the triplet state of the naphthalene chromophore. The quantum yield of triplet state formation decreases with an increase in the dielectric constant of the solvent. The CT state radiative, nonradiative internal conversion (CT --> S0), and nonradiative intersystem crossing (CT --> T1) rate constants are determined and are analyzed using semiclassical, single quantized mode, electron transfer theory. Independent estimates of Absolute value of V(CT-S0), the electronic coupling matrix element between the charge transfer state and the ground state, are obtained from the radiative and nonradiative rate constant data and are in reasonable agreement (1100-1400 cm-1). Absolute value of V(CT-T1) is estimated to be 1.8 cm-1. The solvent-dependent partitioning of the CT state between S0 and T1 is attributed to the large difference in the respective reaction energetics.