No blank check for donor intent

When has a donor overstepped the line? When are “strings attached” appropriate? And when do “strings” constitute a violation of academic freedom that give outsiders inappropriate control over what happens in the university? Those aren’t usually “water cooler” topics. But they are being debated these days, in light of recent publicity surrounding a gift agreement between the Charles G. Koch Foundation and Florida State University.

It is obvious that the gift has become controversial because it just happens to come from one Charles Koch – possibly America’s least favorite billionaire, at least in the eyes of the mainstream media.