UM to receive $100 million

Announcement to be made in Jackson Thursday morning

Chris Thompson
Dm Editor

University officials said to brace for an historic announcement before week's end, but most wouldn't say that it would ring to the tune of a university-record $100 million donation.

Only one source, who asked to remain anonymous, gave the donation's amount and named the donors: James and Sally Barksdale, an alumni couple who have already given $5.4 million to the university to establish the McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College.

The Barksdales, who reside in Mountain View, Calif., have an unlisted phone number and could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.

University administrators are planning to unveil specifics about the donation in press releases today before making an official announcement about the donation at the state's Department of Education Building in Jackson on Thursday at 10 a.m.

Gloria Kellum, the vice chancellor for university relations, said administrators are expecting representatives from the national media to be present at Thursday's announcement. Gov. Ronnie Musgrove is also expected to attend, she said.

Frieda Morris, the Atlanta bureau chief for NBC-TV, said a reporter from her network is scheduled to interview the Barksdales in Jackson on Wednesday. A portion of the interview and coverage of Thursday's announcement are scheduled to be aired on Thursday's "NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw."

Kellum said that producers of NBC's "Today Show" have also expressed interest in airing a story about the donation.

"It humbles some of us beyond belief," Kellum said about the donation. "It's not just for the university; it's for the whole state of Mississippi."

University Foundation President Don Frugé said his foundation will handle funds from the new donation, which will support a new education institute on the Oxford campus of Ole Miss. The University Foundation is a private foundation that handles most donations to the university.

The purpose of the institute will be to enhance teacher training and evaluations and help improve literacy among elementary-level students. State Department of Education officials, Institutions of Higher Learning board members and Ole Miss administrators will manage the new institute, Frugé said.

"I'm proud that the University of Mississippi Foundation can be the vehicle through which this kind of program can work," he said. "It (the donation) is designed to give back something to the state of Mississippi to improve the quality of life for an untold number of citizens of the state."

Ole Miss Chancellor Robert Khayat, who would not discuss specifics about the donations, said Thursday's announcement is "going to be exciting, thrilling and wonderful."