MSU College of Law President Clifton Haley and his wife Carolyn are committed to donating $4 million to the law college to fund full scholarships for students and to establish two endowed chairs.
Haley, a 1961 graduate of the college, formerly known as the Detroit College of Law, has served as president of the law college since 2001.
"I felt it was necessary to give back and show leadership," Haley said. "The law college will be able to advance its reputation."
The money will offer two endowed chair positions for professors, and he intends to fund the chair this year, Haley said.
The donation also will go toward advancing students' law careers by offering them full scholarships, he said.
"It will help students that may not be able to go to law school," he said.
Law professor John Reifenberg Jr. said an endowed chair is a set amount of money that's put aside and gains interest.
"It's hard money, so it just sits there and it's used to increase salary," he said.
This potential increase in salary and scholarship funds can be used to attract more prestigious and well-known faculty and scholars, and improve the overall quality of the law college, Reifenberg said.
"It's a critical gesture of leadership and it's a major step for the law college," said Mae Kuykendall, law professor and senior associate dean for academic affairs.
Several professors in the college said they see this donation as an opportunity to further establish the college's reputation and quality.
"Given the caliber of our faculty, an endowed chair is needed to keep people here and to recruit," said Frank Ravitch, a law affiliate professor.
Haley has been instrumental in his leadership at the college and in higher education as a whole, as both a student and president of the college, said MSU College of Law Dean Terence Blackburn.
"Mr. Haley's been involved for many years and has given a great deal of personal leadership and attention," Blackburn said. "He is very dedicated."
The Haleys announced the donation last week at a celebration for MSU's sesquicentennial.
