Gutmann gift may spark more

University President Amy Gutmann's $150,000 gift for financial aid may seem modest compared to the millions trustees donate, but seasoned fundraisers say it will likely inspire others to give - just like Gutmann wanted.

At last week's Scholarship Donor Celebration Dinner, Gutmann announced that she and her husband, Columbia professor Michael Doyle, were pledging to fund a $150,000 endowed scholarship for students coming to Penn.

This contribution came as officials prepare for the largest fundraising campaign in Penn's history.

Though personal donations from top university leaders are fairly common, six-figure gifts are rare among college presidents, according to David Phillips, president of the South Carolina-based Custom Development Solutions fundraising firm.

A $150,000 donation is "relatively uncommon," he said. "It should inspire the board [of trustees] and others to give of their own resources."

Executive Vice President for Penn's Health System Arthur Rubenstein - who reports directly to Gutmann - agreed that the donation is a major one and will give Gutmann credibility when soliciting donors for the upcoming campaign.

"For a president to give a significant amount of money relative to her salary is a wonderful kind of public demonstration," he said.

During the 2005 fiscal year, Gutmann earned $675,000, with $92,000 in benefits.

She and her husband decided to make the contribution this past summer, Gutmann said.

"It's my way of saying 'thank you' . personally, not just professionally," she added.

And Gutmann isn't the first university president to give to her own cause, said Council for Advancement and Support of Education spokeswoman Rae Goldsmith.

Other presidential gifts include one from former Penn President Judith Rodin, who made a personal contribution to the Perelman Quadrangle restoration project.

Goldsmith said that, in general, presidential donations range from $1,000 to $10,000 but have sometimes been higher. She added that such gifts, however, do not make national news.

"The size of the gift is significant and the action of the gift is significant," she said specifically about Gutmann's contribution.

Officials believe that such an action will inspire others to contribute in kind - just as Gutmann indicated she was inspired by a $14 million gift from Penn Trustee George Weiss last fall.

"I believe this, too, will inspire others to support scholarships, as well as graduate and professional aid," said Vice President for Development and Alumni Relations John Zeller, who coordinates fundraising efforts.

Phillips agreed.

"Often times, institutional heads and leaders . don't consider themselves necessarily capable of giving a large gift," he said. "If she's giving, she can expect others to give. . It will make the fundraising easier."

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