University may return $21 million after donor discourages women from attending over state abortion ban

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The University of Alabama is expected to return $21.5 million of a donation made by a philanthropist — but the exact reason why is still in dispute.

In September, philanthropist Hugh F. Culverhouse Jr. pledged a record $26.5 million to the university amid much praise. The university even named its law school after the Florida real estate investor and lawyer. But on Friday, the university will vote on refunding the money and removing Culverhouse’s name from the law school.

The 70-year-old Culverhouse claims the move is over remarks he made about Alabama’s new abortion law, which bans all abortions except in cases where the mother’s life is at risk. Culverhouse called for students to protest the ban and boycott the school.

“I don’t want anybody to go to that law school, especially women, until the state gets its act together,” Culverhouse told the Associated Press.

The university, though, claims that the proposed refund was because Culverhouse has made “numerous demands” about how the university is operated and said that donors “may not dictate University administration.” The university said that its chancellor recommended the 15-person board of trustees return the money. Among those 15 people is Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, who signed the abortion legislation.

Culverhouse, whose parents attended the university, said that the university’s claims were “lies.”

“You probably shouldn’t put a living person’s name on a building, because at some point they might get fed up and start talking,” he said.

Over the years, Culverhouse has donated more than $30 million to the university.

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