Philanthropy has accomplished great things for Kansas University, according to Dale Seuferling, President of the Kansas University Endowment Association. The Endowment Association has prospered under his leadership of twenty years, building assets of some three billion dollars. It is a non profit organization with 160 staff members and generates 200 million dollars of annual support for the University. Those funds are used to support endowed professors, scholarships, construction and renovations. Seventy Trusties and an Executive Board provides governance, with the Chancellor serving as an ex officio member. The role of the Endowment Association increases as state aid has decreased through the years.
Some forty per cent of all donations come from out of state and the Endowment Association owns and operates some fifty thousand acres of farm land that produces revenue for the University. Eighty-five per cent of University land was acquired through the Association. Notably, fund transfers to the University are significantly higher than transfers in peer institutions.
Some areas of emphasis include stadium improvements, further development of the KU Cancer Center, and maintaining KU’s membership in the prestigious American Association of Universities. Seuferling plans to retire later in the year, leaving a personal legacy of great accomplishments through the Endowment Association.
