Are you the Mystery Donor?
A recent series of acts of philanthropy have many asking questions.
In the past couple of months, somebody has given a total of $81.5 million to fourteen very lucky colleges in nine states. Not even the schools that received the money know who the donor is, and they had to promise never to try to find out. The gifts so far have ranged from $1 million to the $10 million check given to Michigan State University. Lois DeFleur, president of Binghamton University in New York, reported that her $6 million cashiers check came with some instructions, as well: $4 million was to be used for financial aid in scholarships for women and minorities.
So what do all these schools have in common, besides a large and anonymous check? The president at every single one of them is a woman.
In a period of economic recession where many colleges and universities are struggling to stay afoot, this mysterious donor is sending an important message: we must continue to support and promote diversity in higher education.
According to a 2007 report by the American Council on Education, while the percentage of college presidents who were women more than doubled, from 10% in 1986 to 23% of the total in 2006, women's progress has slowed in recent years. And the proportion of presidents who were racial or ethnic minorities increased even slower. While women continue to make up the majority of college students, there clearly continues to exist a gender gap at the top of academia. Indeed, an AAUP study concluded that substantial disparities in salary, rank, and tenure between male and female faculty persist despite the increasing proportion of women in the academic profession.
While the mystery donor(s) may never be revealed, we must continue the work of ensuring that women and minorities rise to the higher ranks of colleges and universities.