When Good Givers Go Bad
That big donor's white-collar conviction just turned Tycoon Hall into Felon Auditorium. What's a nonprofit to do? To avoid a fuss when name donors wind up in the Big House (an increasingly common occurrence, it seems), institutions are trying to set conditions under which donors' names can be removed. It's a sticky subject with potential donors, of course. Here's what's happened recently to a few tarnished names.
Dennis Kozlowski
Kozlowski Hall (Seton Hall University)
Renamed Jubilee Hall after Tyco C.E.O. Dennis Kozlowski was convicted of grand larceny in 2005. The school says he requested the change.
Henry Samueli
Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science (U.C.L.A.); the Henry Samueli School of Engineering (U.C.–Irvine)
A U.C. spokesperson says the names are under “review.” Broadcom’s co-founder pleaded guilty to making false statements in a federal stock-option investigation.
Kenneth Lay
Kenneth L. Lay Chair of Economics (University of Missouri)
The convicted Enron founder gave a $1.1 million gift that resulted in the chair in 1999. By 2006, it was unused, and Lay asked for the money to cover legal fees. The school refused. It named the first person to the chair in April.
Hakan Yalincak
Yalincak Family Foundation Lecture Hall (N.Y.U.)
The school removed the name after 21-year-old former student Hakan Yalincak pleaded guilty to defrauding investors of millions via a phony hedge fund.
A. Alfred Taubman
The A. Alfred Taubman Center for State and Local Government (Harvard University)
Taubman, the former chairman of Sotheby’s auction house, was convicted of fixing commissions and sentenced to a year in prison. But Harvard says his name is safe.
