Charitable gifts to universities, colleges hit $31.6 billion in 2008

The nation’s colleges and universities set another fundraising record last year, but nobody expects a repeat in 2009, a survey says.
Charitable contributions grew 6.2%, to $31.6 billion, based on a survey of 1,052 colleges by the Council for Aid to Education, a New York-based non-profit that tracks private giving to colleges and universities.