(01-29-2015 01:53 PM)banker Wrote:  I understand that, but Harvard has a 36 billion dollar endowment. It grew by 5 billion last year. They are literally making money faster than they can spend it. Why would they realistically ever have to solicit another donation? Are they doing all they could be doing to accomplish their mission or are they hoarding cash to the benefit of those that manage it?

i think it has to do with ego. people give tons of money to harvard/yale/wherever to have their name on a building and the prestige. imagine how the money could actually help/improve other colleges from the south...i don't think that a 20 million dollar donation to harvard makes a dent or does anything...but 20 mil to southern miss or north texas would be HUGE!