Billionaire UC Irvine Donor Had Dean Consulting Rights
Billionaire Donald Bren was promised the right to consult on the selection of a dean for UC Irvine’s new law school in exchange for his $20 million donation.
Bren also specified how big the “Donald Bren School of Law” signs should be displayed (they must be at least twice the size of the name of the building), the Los Angeles Times reports. The newspaper obtained the eight-page gift agreement in response to its written request.
A statement issued by Bren’s foundation maintains he had nothing to do with the flap surrounding the university’s withdrawn offer to Erwin Chemerinsky. The school flip-flopped, extending Chemerinsky an offer in September, then withdrawing it, then reinstituting it. Chemerinsky said he was told the offer was withdrawn because UC regents were concerned his liberal views were too controversial.
The newspaper also obtained e-mails and correspondence relating to the Chemerinsky flap. State appeals court judge William Rylaarsdam criticized Chemerinsky’s initial selection. Another judge described only as “the presiding judge of the local federal court,” apparently a reference to Judge Alicemarie Stotler, supported chancellor Michael Drake’s decision to withdraw the first offer.
“I have complete confidence in the chancellor’s judgment, and a continued search is surely in the university’s best interest if he says so,” she wrote.
