<p>Here is the email that went out to alums:</p>
<p>Dear members of the Columbia community:</p>
<p>This is an historic day in the life of Columbia University and for higher
education in the United States. You may have already seen early news reports
that at midday today we officially announced a spectacular gift from John
Kluge - a pledge of $400 million for scholarships and fellowships at Columbia. </p>
<p>This year marks the 70th anniversary of John Kluge's graduation from Columbia
College. But John's focus is always on the future, on teaching us that what makes
life worth living is what we can do to improve on what we have. We do that
today. </p>
<p>This is an extraordinary development that will help ensure that
Columbia remains an ever-widening avenue of intellectual growth and
opportunity - such a critical value in our nation. John's own life is a
fulfillment of that American dream, and he has spoken frequently and
eloquently of the critical role that Columbia has played in his life. That
he has chosen to direct his amazing generosity to ensuring that young
people will have the chance to benefit from a Columbia education, as he
did, regardless of their wealth or family income is therefore both a
testament to his personal values and a challenge to all of us to do better
than we have in living up to our national ideals.</p>
<p>Although the funds will be paid from John's estate, in due time this will
create positive benefits for countless future Columbia students, for the
University as a whole, and, I believe, for our society. Nothing could be
more important to our mission; and while we are proud of the socioeconomic
diversity we have achieved among our students, we know this gift will allow
us to further expand our efforts in the future.</p>
<p>This extraordinary investment in the diversity of our students and the quality
of our University community is obviously a great boost for the Columbia Campaign;
but John does not want us to become complacent with this gift. Instead, he wants
us to see this as an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the great work ahead,
including the expansion of the University and the betterment of our
academic programs.</p>
<p>John and I will continue to discuss many of the specifics of how this pledge will
work when it becomes effective. We can say that half of his gift, $200 million,
will be dedicated to supporting and expanding existing financial aid programs for
Columbia College - long a priority of John's and a cornerstone of efforts by Dean
Austin E. Quigley and others to strengthen the College so that it can prepare our
students for the increasingly diverse world they will inherit. I will
consult with John in determining where the remaining $200 million will be
allocated toward scholarships and fellowships in other areas of the
University. </p>
<p>Finally, just to give you a sense of scale, this gift represents the fourth largest
single donation to an institution of higher education in the United States and is
the largest gift in higher education devoted exclusively to financial aid. It brings
the current Columbia Campaign total to $2.2 billion or 55 percent of the overall
goal.</p>
<p>Columbia owes a great debt of gratitude to John Kluge - not only
for his legendary generosity, but for asking us to focus on the future and
to strive to become better than we are. He has reminded us once more,
through this remarkable gift, that Columbia's possibilities for the future
lie in large part in the hands of its loyal alumni and friends. </p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Lee C. Bollinger</p>