ASU's Public Affairs office released a statement Tuesday clarifying remarks made by ASU President Michael Crow regarding donations to the College of Education and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
In a meeting with College of Public Programs faculty on Monday, Crow made comments about donations to the University.
"By the end of next week we will receive the largest gift in the history of the University... the largest gift in the history of the College of Education and the largest gift in the history of the College of Liberal Arts," Crow said.
His comments led some of those who attended the meeting to believe that the College of Education and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences would receive $50 million donations.
Some faculty members left Monday's meeting confused by Crow's statements.
"I didn't know what the $50 million was," said justice studies professor Nancy Jurik.
"(Crow) mentioned the Carey school, College of Education and a big donation to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in the next week, and somewhere in there was $50 million," Jurik said.
On Tuesday, Nancy Neff, ASU's assistant vice president of strategic communication, clarified Crow's comments in the statement.
According to Neff, Crow was speaking of $5 million that was donated to the College of Education several weeks ago, the largest gift in the college's history.
She added that a gift to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences could be announced next week but would not be close to the amount of $50 million.
"If the University announces next week a gift in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, it will be another 'largest-ever' gift [for that college]," Neff said.
Crow's office released the statement in response to an article that ran in the Tuesday edition of The State Press, in which Crow was quoted as announcing two $50 million gifts to the Education and Liberal Arts colleges. Though the quote was correct, Neff said Crow must have misspoken.
Reach the reporter at kelly.vaughn@asu.edu.
