Georgetown asked to explain $20M Saudi gift
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- February
- 15
The Washington Post today reports that a Virginia congressman has asked Georgetown University to explain how it used a $20 million donation from a Saudi prince.
Apparently Rep. Frank R. Wolf® sent a letter yesterday to university President John J. DeGioia expressing concern over the donation and asking whether the university’s academic center for Christian and Muslim relations has ever produced reports critical of Saudi Arabia.
I would hope that Georgetown  and all other great institutions of learning  wouldn’t be so easily bribed. And I deeply doubt that they have been. I mean, just imagine how outraged professors and students would be if they were ever told to censor their studies. It just flies in the face of what American higher education is all about. And I really hope that day never comes.
That being said, however, I’m not so naive to think that money doesn’t have huge sway in higher education. Just look at the admissions records for children of parents with deep pockets. But that’s a whole other story…
This entry was posted
on Friday, February 15th, 2008 at 10:53 am by Diana Costello.
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The Washington Post and The Hall Monitor have “discovered America.” Money talks, and the Government of Saudi Arabia is not a charitable institution, and $20 million is a respectable (but not overwhelming) sum. Shouldn’t The Washington Post and The Hall Monitor now do a story on the relationship between newspaper advertising and editorial coverage; as well as coverage of wrongdoing by affiliates of the newspaper ( in this age of conglomerates). For shame for being so consciously ignorant/deliberately avoiding of the more critical issue of the influence of money on newpapers.
Bernard Schneider
Yes, Diana – Shame on you for being fair-minded, as usual, and for not blindly publishing rants when you don’t have data and facts at hand! And shame on you for covering your beat as a responsible journalist and not being a slave to your political preferences!
Dear Anonymous and Unconsciously Ignorant,
What, exactly, is your point?
Bernard Schneider
I don’t really see why I should write about the relationship between advertising and editorial coverage, but let me assure you that the two departments are completely separate here at The Journal News. In fact, I couldn’t even tell you where in the building the advertising department is! Needless to say, however, newspapers need advertising to survive. So do blogs. So if anyone’s interested in sponsoring the Hall Monitor, contact Vice President of Advertising Charles Rowe: crowe@lohud.com / 914-694-5157.
Thanks for the comments, Bernard and U.I. Please keep ‘em coming!