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.

Fairfield man's philanthropy makes Yale cancer center a reality

Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New Haven is a brand new cancer center, reflecting the philanthropy of Fairfield resident Joel E. Smilow. The complex will feature 112 patient beds, a healing garden, a boutique, outpatient treatment rooms, state-of-the-art operating rooms, infusion suites, diagnostic imaging services, radiation oncology and a specialized women's cancer center. A member of the Yale University Class of 1954, Smilow has been one of the school's most ardent football boosters.

Full-text post by John Burgeson is available via the Connecticut Post, 10/20/09.

University of Pennsylvania Endowment Beats Harvard With Stocks

The University of Pennsylvania beat Harvard University’s endowment by choosing the right stock pickers, investing in credit strategies and boosting its Treasury bonds.

Full-text article by Gillian Wee is available via Bloomberg News, 8.13.09.

Donations Rise, Markets Fall

Stock prices plummeted, and 159,000 jobs were lost, the worst such decline in five years. But at Yale, it was a record month for fundraising. Figures obtained by the News show that the University raked in over $28.25 million in donations last month, more than double the $14 million raised in September last year.

Full-text article by Paul Needham is available via the Yale Daily News, 10.29.08.

Private Cash Sets Agenda for Urban Infrastructure

Article examines how private spending, supported handsomely by a growing number of very wealthy families, is gaining ground on traditional public investment.

Full-text article by Louis Uchitelle is available via the New York Times, 1.6.08.