Philanthropic funding of universities

A reader pointed this out to me:

Philanthropic support totalling $120 million has been given for research and learning at The University of Auckland since 2006, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Stuart McCutcheon, announced tonight.

The University’s “Leading the Way” fundraising Campaign aims to raise $150 million by the end of 2012, an achievement that would make it as successful as any campaign in Australasian university history. Originally set at $100 million, the Campaign target was raised as philanthropic funds given through the University’s advancement, research, and scholarships offices were pooled.

Globally, the most successful universities always have graduates who are willing to donate back to the university they went to. It is good to see Auckland University doing so well.

Over the years 11 families, organisations, and individuals have each given more than $5 million to support the University, including: the Goodfellow family, who established the Maclaurin Chapel and have supported healthcare education and many other activities; the Neal and Annette Plowman family, who established an endowment fund to support business growth and innovation; and the Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust, funders of ophthalmology and child health research.

Also included are several New Zealand organisations: the Auckland Medical Research Foundation; the Cancer Society Auckland; the ASB Community Trust; the Neurological Foundation and the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board; as well as high-profile philanthropist Owen Glenn, who has funded improvements in business education, marine science and cancer research, and who was in Auckland for the event. …

A further 35 donors, each of whom has made gifts totalling between $1 million and $5 million, were named members of the Sir George Fowlds Society, after a former Minister of Education and Chair of Auckland University College.

A third group, the 179 donors who have each given between $100,000 and $1 million, were honoured as members of the Sir Douglas Robb Society. Sir Douglas was the primary force behind establishing the School of Medicine in Auckland.

So 11 families have given more than $5 million, 46 have given more than $1 million and 225 have given more than $100,000. That’s fantastic philanthropy.