Nike founder Phil Knight’s generosity to his alma mater has been well documented. The sometimes Redmond-area resident has donated tens of millions of dollars to the University of Oregon in the form of new facilities for its athletic department, primarily its football and basketball teams. And his mark on the University is undeniable, just look at the way his company has turned the Duck’s football uniforms into a testing ground for Nike’s bizarre apparel experiments. But Knight’s latest gift, the roughly $42-million John E. Jaqua Center, is perhaps his most lavish.
Dubbed the jock box by critics, the glass-encased center clocks in at a whopping $1,000 per square foot, according to the Oregonian and is open only to athletes. Of course, Mr. Knight is free to spend his gazillions wherever he wants. But the message here couldn’t be more tone deaf in a slumping economy that has forced the state to cut school days and jack up tuition rates at public universities. The university has likened the new athlete center to a “birthday” present in an attempt to downplay the costs, saying that when someone buys you a gift, you don’t ask how much they spent. Maybe not, but when a gift comes with these kind of strings attached you’re under no obligation to accept it either.
This article appears in Aug 5-11, 2010.
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The Source’s comments are the same predictable liberal garbage typically served up! Instead of praising his generosity you denigrate it! I’m sure you would prefer the government confiscate $42 million from Uncle Phil( that mean old capitalist) and redistribute it in the myriad of inept and unfair ways government does!
I second Riane…Phil Knight is FREE to SPEND his hard earned cash, that he pays lots, and lots of taxes on ANY WAY HE DESIRES!!! What does Phil Knight’s donations to U of O have to do with the way the State of Oregon spends money on education? Elect Chris Telfer as State Treasurer…She is a CPA with over 25 years of balancing cash flow.. The State of Oregon desperately needs this kind of money management experience.
Sure beats the usual method of trying to pay for it out of ‘student fees’ and ‘public funds’ i.e. taxes.
TSWeekly clearly does not get it. A new building could of been funded with an increase in fees or raising taxes. Instead a donor gives the money, which actually put construction workers to work. Shame on you TSWeekly for this comment. You clearly miss the point of a donation to a cause that is not your own.