Boards give $300,000 to support teaching

In response to the Commonwealth’s financial crisis, two independent alumni groups gave $300,000 to protect undergraduate classes at U.Va. this fall.

Representatives from the U.Va. Alumni Association and the University’s College Foundation presented checks for $150,000 from each organization to U.Va. President John T. Casteen III and Arts & Sciences Dean Edward L. Ayers in October to restore classes in the College that otherwise could not have been offered this year.

In April, shortly after the severity of state budget cuts became apparent, Ayers and College Foundation Vice President John L. Nau III (History ’68) appealed to the Alumni Association for funds. The Alumni Association Board of Managers responded by issuing a challenge to the College Foundation Board of Trustees to raise funds to “help prevent the elimination of essential classes for students” and to “enhance the opportunity for students to enjoy small classes at the University.”

The Association offered to match, up to $150,000, new gifts made by individual trustees of the College Foundation. Members of the College Foundation Board of Trustees contributed the $150,000, triggering the Alumni Association match.

“Both the Alumni Association and the College Foundation are focusing on ways to protect excellence at the University’s core,” said Casteen. “Educational quality follows naturally from interaction between gifted, dedicated faculty members and students with the same qualities — interaction that happens here most often and best in the smaller courses that have made the College such a distinguished institution.

“Bravo. A great gift at the right time for the right purpose. Mr. Jefferson would applaud.”