Mystery donors give over $45M to 9 universities

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - They’re smart people, but some university officials say they can’t figure out who is donating millions of dollars to them.
   
During the past few weeks, at least nine universities have received gifts totaling more than $45 million. And the schools had to promise not to try to find out the giver’s identity.
   
The gifts ranged from $8 million at Purdue to $1.5 million donated to the University of North Carolina at Asheville. The University of Iowa received $7 million; the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and the University of Maryland University College got $6 million each; the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs was given $5.5 million; and Penn State-Harrisburg received $3 million.
   
It’s not clear whether the gifts came from an individual, an organization or a group of people with similar interests. In every case, the donor or donors dealt with the universities through third parties.