University wins lawsuit
Steve Mayer
Issue date: 10/23/09 Section: News
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The court granted a summary judgment of $900,000 to the university, the release reported, which represents the amount of money owed to the school by the Paul and Irene Bogoni Foundation.
Gifts to the university included a $2 million investment to create a rare books library addition to the Friedsam Memorial Library, and over $1.5 million toward the creation of the Bogoni Center for Aging Studies, according to a 2008 document released by the university's attorney, Damon and Morey Attorneys at Law.
The Bogonis began their gifts to the school in May 2003, when they donated $10,000 for a feasibility study for the GRACE Project, according to their filed complaint.
The Grace Project, which led to the creation of the Bogoni Center for Aging Studies, is intended to enhance care at the end of life through research, teaching and public outreach as well as scholarships in the area of gerontology, according to the complaint.
In May 2004, the Bogonis pledged a total of $1.5 million for the GRACE Project, which led to disagreement between the family and the university, according to a release by the University's attorney.
The school used $1.4 million toward the GRACE Project, and $100,000 in start-up funding, according to the attorney's release.
Start-up funding is the act or process of setting into operation or motion, according to www.thefreedictionary.com.
In the Bogonis' complaint, they say they never agreed to the start-up funding and that this was a violation of the restrictions and conditions of the endowment gift.
However, according to a 2008 affidavit by Brother Ed Coughlin, O.F.M., who conducted communications between the Bogonis and the university, Mr. Bogoni agreed to support $100,000 worth of start-up funding because the program wouldn't begin until one year after the gift was made. The affidavit read Brother Ed proposed the idea of $100,000 being used as start-up funds, which Mr. Bogoni accepted.
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