Virginia Board Lets Scalia Law School Renaming Stand
In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the State Council of Higher Education said it does not have authority to weigh in on George Mason University’s plan to rename its law school for Antonin Scalia per the terms of a $20 million donation, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
$35 Million Gift Establishes Harvard Early-Childhood Program
The university’s Graduate School of Education will use the donation from the Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation to launch an intensive effort to research and support early-childhood learning, Harvard Magazine writes.
Charity’s Push to Get Women Donors More Actively Involved Yields Big Gifts
A new Melinda Gates-backed venture taps female philanthropists for their talent as well as their wallets.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor
George Mason May Not Need State OK to Name School for Scalia
The state body that oversees Virginia’s public colleges — which was set to vote Tuesday on George Mason University’s plan to rechristen its law school for the late Supreme Court justice at the behest of a $20 million donor — now says the university may not need its approval to make the controversial change, The Washington Post and the Associated Press report.
$25 Million Donations for Cornell U. and Dartmouth College
The gifts, both from alumni, will support construction of a new business-school building at Cornell and an expansion of the engineering school at Dartmouth, The Cornell Daily Sun and Valley News respectively report.
Gifts Roundup: $200 Million for USC Cancer Studies; $20 Million for Carleton College Music Center
Other notable donations include a $55-million pledge to the Curtis Institute of Music from its outgoing board chair.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
DePauw University Alumnus Gives Alma Mater $20 Million
Among other programs, the donation from trucking magnate Don Daseke and his wife, Barbara, will bolster the DePauw Trust, the university’s endowment to support needy students, according to the Indianapolis Star.
Simons Fund Gives $40 Million to Study Origins of Universe
The foundation led by mathematician, hedge-fund billionaire, and science donor James Simons is funding a telescope to search for signs of gravitational waves physicists believe may hold clues to the beginnings of space and time, Scientific American writes.
Tech Mogul Ellison Gives $200 Million for USC Cancer Center
The donation from Oracle Corporation co-founder Larry Ellison will establish an institute where physicists, mathematicians, engineers, and other researchers will address fundamental questions about the disease, according to Bloomberg.
Outgoing Chair Gives Philadelphia Music School $55 Million
The donation to buttress the Curtis Institute of Music’s endowment comes as Nina von Maltzahn ends a two-year term leading the prestigious, tuition-free conservatory’s Board of Trustees, writes The Philadelphia Inquirer.
$20 Million Donations for Cal Poly and Carleton College
A pledge from California Polytechnic State University alumnus Bill Frost and his wife, Linda, will support a new center for research and technology, reports The Tribune of San Luis Obispo, and Carleton College announced a $20 million gift from Barbara and Wally Weitz and their children to help fund an expansion of the Minnesota campus’s performance venue.
Gifts Roundup: Investor Berggruen Puts $500 Million Into His Think Tank
Other notable donations include a $5.8 million bequest to the University of Nebraska from the nephew of author Willa Cather and a $15 million gift to Belmont University.
By Maria Di Mento
Senior Editor
Robin Hood Expands Largest Charity Gala to Full-Day Event
The New York antipoverty group known for hosting the country’s most lucrative benefit will make its presence known throughout the city Monday, from the Nasdaq opening bell until late in the evening.
By Eden Stiffman
Senior Editor
George Mason Faculty Questions Donor Pacts Amid Scalia Furor
The Faculty Senate urged the university to put on hold gift agreements worth $30 million from conservative donors that have divided students and professors on the Northern Virginia campus, particularly over a stipulation that its law school be renamed for Justice Antonin Scalia, The Chronicle of Higher Education and The Washington Post write.
U. of Houston Donor’s Heirs Sue Over Plan to Rename Arena
The family of Roy Hofheinz, the late Houston mayor and Astros owner for whom the campus basketball arena is named, filed a challenge Wednesday to the university’s court bid to reclaim naming rights for a new donor, the Houston Chronicle and the Associated Press report.
Zuckerberg and Chan Tap New Leader for Education Giving
Priscilla Chan and Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg have hired Jim Shelton, a former high-ranking Education Department official, as head of education for the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative.
By Megan O’Neil
Contributor