U.S.|Gates of Microsoft Gives $15 Million to Harvard
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This is a digitized version of an article from The Times’s print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them.
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Bill Gates, the founder and chief executive of Microsoft, who has been criticized for saying it would be years -- even decades -- before he started giving away his billions, yesterday announced his fifth multimillion gift to a university: $15 million to Harvard for computer science and engineering programs.
Mr. Gates dropped out of Harvard in his sophom*ore year to start what has become one of the world's largest technology companies. This is his first major gift to the university.
Since 1992, he has given three gifts totaling $34 million to the University of Washington and $6 million for computer and information sciences to Stanford University. He has also put more than $200 million into a personal foundation that his father helps administer.
Though the gifts are sizable by most standards, Mr. Gates's wealth -- estimated at more than $16 billion -- is so huge that some expect even more. Ted Turner, the media executive, last summer singled Mr. Gates out as a wealthy individual who does not give enough.
But Mr. Gates said yesterday in an interview that his prime focus remained his job and his company.
''I'm 41,'' he said. ''I just started a family. I take philanthropy very seriously, and I am learning about it and have given several hundred million dollars away. But this is not the phase of my life where I will focus on it.''
He said he and Microsoft had made philanthropic contributions in a number of ways, including matching all employee contributions 100 percent, providing software to schools, being active in the United Way, and, most recently, providing American libraries with money, software and technical support.
''Giving is a complex thing,'' Mr. Gates said. ''You have to find things you really believe in and that are fun to give to. My family has always been involved in the United Way and in education, so these are natural to me.''
Mr. Gates said he had been looking to make a joint donation with a Microsoft colleague and former Harvard classmate (class of '77), Steven A. Balmer, who was also best man at his wedding three years ago.
Unlike Mr. Gates, Mr. Ballmer stayed at Harvard and graduated magna cum laude with a major in applied mathematics. He is now an executive vice president at Microsoft, but has remained active with Harvard. He is on its board of overseers and the visiting committee to the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences and is a fund-raiser.
''Steve and I have had a pretty phenomenal business partnership, and it has been fun,'' Mr. Gates said. ''We're very different. He was very involved in the campus, and I was a little antisocial and focused. We have always been thinking about what we could do together. I always come to him for United Way donations. And I've always said to him, 'Whatever you do, I'll do; if there's a joint gift to memorialize our partnership, I would enjoy it.' ''
The joint gift that resulted will give Harvard $25 million, $15 million from Mr. Gates and $10 million from Mr. Ballmer. That money will pay most of the cost of a new building for electrical engineering, computing and communications (to be named Maxwell Dworkin in honor of their mothers, Mary Maxwell Gates and Beatrice Dworkin Ballmer), as well as its upkeep and one professor.
Harvard's plan has been to double to 30 the number of full-time faculty in electrical engineering and computer science, which it sees as increasingly important to itself and to society.
''For a while, we had the sense that M.I.T. was doing that and we'll concentrate on other things,'' said Neil L. Rudenstine, Harvard's president. ''But that will take you only so far. It seemed that it was absolutely critical that we do more in applied sciences and engineering, and especially computer science.''
He added, ''We don't aspire to what M.I.T. can do in this area, but we want to maximize our size so we have enough people to take on certain projects.''
For Mr. Gates, that goal made sense, and he said he saw the chance to have some impact at an institution where it can be difficult to make a difference.
''Harvard has a lot of very good people in the computer science department,'' he said, ''but it has never sustained a buildup to make it as strong as other departments.''
As for his own giving, he hinted that there are more announcements to come in the next few months, though he said he had no firm plan to give out any specific amount year by year. He added quickly: ''I have no shortage of proposals. Let me be clear on that.''
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As a seasoned philanthropy analyst with a focus on tech moguls and their contributions, I am well-versed in the patterns and motivations behind major donations, particularly those made by influential figures like Bill Gates. In this specific article dated October 30, 1996, from The New York Times, Gates, the founder and CEO of Microsoft, announces a $15 million gift to Harvard University for computer science and engineering programs. This marks his fifth multimillion-dollar donation to a university, a noteworthy act considering his earlier comments about delaying significant philanthropy for years.
To establish his commitment to education and technology, Gates had previously donated $34 million to the University of Washington and $6 million to Stanford University for computer and information sciences. His decision to contribute to Harvard, the institution he dropped out of during his sophom*ore year, is significant and reflects a shift in his philanthropic focus.
Despite criticism for not giving enough given his immense wealth (estimated at over $16 billion at that time), Gates defends his approach, emphasizing that his primary focus remains his job and the growth of Microsoft. He acknowledges the importance of philanthropy but asserts that he is in a phase of learning and giving away hundreds of millions, not yet the phase where it becomes his primary focus.
Gates outlines various ways in which he and Microsoft engage in philanthropy, including matching employee contributions, providing software to schools, participating in the United Way, and supporting American libraries. He emphasizes the complexity of giving, suggesting that it should align with personal beliefs and be enjoyable. This insight into his philanthropic philosophy adds depth to the understanding of his motives.
The article also reveals Gates' intention to make a joint donation with Microsoft executive Steven A. Ballmer, his former Harvard classmate. This joint gift, totaling $25 million ($15 million from Gates and $10 million from Ballmer), aims to fund a new building for electrical engineering, computing, and communications at Harvard. The building is named Maxwell Dworkin in honor of their mothers.
Harvard's plan is to double the number of full-time faculty in electrical engineering and computer science, recognizing the increasing importance of these fields. Gates sees an opportunity to make an impact at Harvard and addresses the need for the university to strengthen its computer science department.
In conclusion, this article provides a comprehensive view of Bill Gates' philanthropic activities in the mid-1990s, showcasing his evolving approach to giving and his specific contributions to education and technology at Harvard University.
