KU among fundraising leaders

By Matt Tait     Jan 29, 2016

Slick new additions to the Kansas University basketball environment accounted for most of it, and, according a report by the Council for Aid to Education, KU ranked 10th nationally in private donations during the 2014-15 fiscal year among universities that responded to the survey.

Not all Division I schools participated in the voluntary survey.

Kansas brought in nearly $25 million during fiscal year 2014-15, an increase of almost $3 million from the previous year.

“Our donors have taken great pride in trying to ensure that we compete with the best universities in the Big 12 and the best universities in the nation,” Jim Marchiony, KU’s associate athletic director for public affairs, told the Journal-World. “To do that takes committed donors, which we have.”

A good chunk of that money came in to fund McCarthy Hall, the $11.2 million dorm that was completed in October and houses the men’s basketball team and 21 non-athlete residents, and the DeBruce Center, an $18 million addition to the northeast corner of Allen Fieldhouse that will display James Naismith’s original rules of basketball when it opens in the near future.

Even with the solid haul of donations, KU’s athletic department operated at a small loss during the 2014-15 fiscal year, with expenses totaling $92.21 million and revenues totaling $91.86 million.

KU officials told the Journal-World that roughly $6 million of the 2014-15 expenses went toward compensation for fired football coach Charlie Weis and his staff, and they were pleased to note that, even with that, the school nearly absorbed all costs associated with Weis’ buyout.

“We operated within our operational budget and covered it with donations and reserves,” said KU chief financial officer Pat Kaufman.

PREV POST

Bragging rights: Freshman forward satisfied with decision

NEXT POST

48140KU among fundraising leaders

Author Photo

Written By Matt Tait

A native of Colorado, Matt moved to Lawrence in 1988 and has been in town ever since. He graduated from Lawrence High in 1996 and the University of Kansas in 2000 with a degree in Journalism. After covering KU sports for the University Daily Kansan and Rivals.com, Matt joined the World Company (and later Ogden Publications) in 2001 and has held several positions with the paper and KUsports.com in the past 20+ years. He became the Journal-World Sports Editor in 2018. Throughout his career, Matt has won several local and national awards from both the Associated Press Sports Editors and the Kansas Press Association. In 2021, he was named the Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. Matt lives in Lawrence with his wife, Allison, and two daughters, Kate and Molly. When he's not covering KU sports, he likes to spend his time playing basketball and golf, listening to and writing music and traveling the world with friends and family.