SE hospital believes nonprofit status could help finances

Washington's United Medical Center is seeking charitable status to stave off a worsening financial crisis and continue serving the city's poorest neighborhoods. Frank G. DeLisi, the hospital's chief executive, said the conversion would save the center hundreds of thousands of dollars in tax bills, lift fund raising, and qualify it for higher Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements.

Full text article by Tim Craig is available via The Washington Post, 1/24/10.

Leader of nation's biggest campus wants to change rules that govern granting of tenure

The leader of the country's largest university thinks it's time to re-examine how professors are awarded tenure, a type of job-for-life protection virtually unknown outside academia. Ohio State University President Gordon Gee says the traditional formula that rewards publishing in scholarly journals over excellence in teaching and other contributions is outdated and too often favors the quantity of a professor's output over quality.

Full text article by Andrew Welsh-Huggins is available via the Los Angeles Times, 2/4/10.

Tuition-Free University Gains a Following

A nonprofit, tuition-free online university started by an Israeli entrepreneur last year has attracted 300 students and is seeking to carve out a niche in the largely commercial online-education field. The University of the People began classes in September with students from nearly 50 countries, mostly in the developing world. Shai Reshef, a veteran of Internet-based educational ventures, has won the backing of the United Nations for the project, which recently announced a research partnership with Yale University.

Full text article by Alison Damast is available via Business Week, 1/24/10.

After 10 Years, Federal Money for Technology in Education

A national trust to funnel federal funds into programs to help schools, libraries, and museums tap into emerging digital technologies will be introduced Monday after nearly a decade in the making. The National Center for Research in Advanced Information and Digital Technologies grew out of a 2001 recommendation by Lawrence K. Grossman, a former network-news executive, and Newton N. Minow, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. It could begin distributing grants by fall.

Full text article by Elizabeth Jensen is available via The New York Times, 1/24/10.

With less money to dole out, foundations become more targeted in their giving

With less money to spend amid the economic downturn, many philanthropic foundations are shifting to a more strategic giving strategy, focusing on fewer goals with larger grants. More than three-quarters of respondents to a Foundation Center survey said they expect philanthropy to become more strategic as overall giving declines, with grant makers outlining a set of clear goals and supporting mainly larger organizations with administrations capable of tracking and reporting results.

Full text article by Monica Ginsburg is available via Crain's Chicago Business, 1/25/10.

Mayo Clinic's philanthropy campaign raises $1.35 billion

Minnesota's Mayo Clinic on Tuesday reported collecting $1.35-billion in its first sustained philanthropy campaign for operating costs. The famed medical center started the campaign in 2005 with a goal of raising $1.25-billion in seven years. While Mayo had previously sought donations from benefactors and former patients for new buildings, the current campaign was its first aimed at raising money for care, research, and education programs.

Full text article by Chen May Yee is available via Star Tribune, 1/26/10.

Clinton's summit more popular than Davos: survey

The Clinton Global Initiative has become the most popular gathering for top corporate leaders.
According to a study by the public-relations firm Weber Shandwick, the former President Bill Clinton's September gathering in New York has displaced the World Economic Forum, the latest edition of which opens Wednesday, in Davos, Switzerland, as the main event on CEO calendars.

Full text article by Michelle Nichols is available via Reuters, 1/26/10.