UNH allocates employee's $4 million bequest

The University of New Hampshire has announced how it will spend the $4 million donated by Robert Morin, a library employee who passed away last year.

$100,000 will go the Dimond Library, $2.5 million will be spent on a career center, and $1 million will be spent on a video scoreboard in the university's new stadium.

Some alumni and faculty were quick to criticize the decision to spend one-fourth of the bequest on the scoreboard.

In a scathing blog post, alumnus Rick Seltzer wrote, "Ultimately, the school’s administrative decision to spend a quarter of Morin’s generous donation on a inconsequential trinket for the athletic department is a complete disgrace to the spirit and memory of Robert Morin." 

Seltzer questioned other spending decisions in his post, from a much-maligned $17,000 LED dining hall table to a new $4.5 million outdoor pool.

Deborah Dutton, vice president for advancement at the University of New Hampshire, noted that Morin was clear in his bequest that only $100,000 had to be spent on the library.

"The football stadium was to the fore because it is not just for the football team," said Dutton. "It is first and foremost for the university community, students, faculty, the local town and for the state." 

Generally speaking, supporters of college athletic spending note that athletics and stadiums can generate income for universities.