UA Releases Emails Detailing Culverhouse Conflicts

TUSCALOOSA, AL - After several days of national media reports that University of Alabama donor Hugh Culverhouse Jr. was given back his $21 million donation because of his opposition to the Alabama Legislature's abortion ban, the University of Alabama System released emails between school officials and Culverhouse detailing a history of meddling by Culverhouse and demands that his money be returned.

A statement by the system released Sunday said, "Our decision was never about the issue of abortion. It was always about ending the continued outside interference by the donor in the operations of the University of Alabama School of Law. As the attached emails factually establish, the donor attempted to influence:

1. Student admissions;
2. Scholarship awards;
3. The hiring and firing of faculty;
4. The employment status of the law school dean

"The donor even sought to shield these emails from public view for reasons that are now obvious."

The emails were released as part of this statement.

Culverhouse authored an editorial in the Washington Post claiming, "I gave the University of Alabama $26.5 million.They gave it back when I spoke out about abortion." The Post and other media outlets such as USA Today, the New York Times and a bevy of prominent activists on social media were quick to accept Culverhouse's side of the issue and criticize the university, which prompted the university to release the emails, against the wishes of Culverhouse, as seen in his email dated June 3 to UA attorney Sid Trant.

The email says, "I am getting showered with media - many are requesting documents, including emails..."

Culverhouse publicly criticized the Alabama Legislature's passage of a bill that would ban abortions in the state, and on the heels of that legislation, called for a boycott of the University of Alabama. He claimed that this was the sole reason behind the university returning his donation.

The emails released Sunday show that the recommendation to return Culverhouse's money was made by Chancellor Finis St. John before any public statement by Culverhouse was ever made regarding his opinions of the abortion bill or the university itself.

"The donor's continuing effort to rewrite history by injecting one of society's most emotional divisive issues into this decision is especially distasteful," the UA statement said.

Culverhouse issued a statement Sunday night saying he emails do not prove that the school was retaliating against him for his position on the abortion legislation.

"I am glad the University of Alabama School of Law decided to release emails showing my communications with Stuart Bell and Mark Brandon," Culverhouse said. "The emails further prove that UA returned my $21.5 million donation as retaliation for calling on students to reconsider attending a university that advocates a state law that discriminates against women and is unconstitutional. On my last email to UA officials on May 25, I requested the return of the $10 million I had paid well ahead of schedule with the intention of returning to the original payment schedule."

Culverhosue added that his position against the abortion bill prompted his call for a boycott of UA because Gov. Kay Ivey sits on the board. Ivey sits on the board of all of the state's public colleges and universities, although Culverhouse did not call for a boycott of schools such as Auburn University or the University of South Alabama.

"Following the anti-abortion law - and with Gov. Kay Ivey being a member of the board of trustees of the University of Alabama - I am compelled to take a stand and call for a boycott, especially since my father was an officer of Planned Parenthood," Culverhouse said. "The call for the boycott is unrelated to the issue discussed in the emails. Let me be clear, I never asked UA for the full $21.5 million to be returned nor did I hear UA officials discuss that option until after I called for the UA boycott on May 29."

Culverhouse's father was also a major donor to the school and the business school at UA bears his name. The school has never taken issue with Hugh Culverhouse Sr.'s stance on abortion or his involvement with Planned Parenthood.