Times Union reports Syracuse University made ‘prohibited’ campaign donations
A Times Union investigation found that SU made several small political donations between 2001 and 2024, a violation of the IRS’ restrictions on nonprofits. Leonardo Eriman | Senior Staff Photographer
Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox.
Subscribe to our newsletter here.
Syracuse University violated the Internal Revenue Service’s restrictions on nonprofits by making several small political donations between 2001 and 2024, an Albany Times Union investigation found.
According to the Times Union report published Sunday, SU made at least nine donations to candidates and political action committees between 2001 and 2024 — all under $500 — as indicated by IRS filings and New York state election data. Three other universities and hundreds of New York nonprofits allegedly committed similar violations, it found.
Three of SU’s contributions — $150 in 2019, 2021 and 2024 — went to the Syracuse Tomorrow PAC, run by the economic development-based nonprofit CenterState CEO, the Times Union reported. SU’s acting Chancellor Mike Haynie, who recently assumed the role after Kent Syverud stepped down after a brain cancer diagnosis, sits on the board of directors.
Sarah Scalese, an SU spokesperson, told the Times Union the donations to Syracuse Tomorrow were “administrative errors” rather than intentional contributions. She said the amounts “were included with general membership dues invoiced by CenterState CEO.”
“The university has requested that these payments be refunded and has taken steps to ensure this does not happen again,” Scalese told The Times Union.
The IRS defines SU as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, meaning it is recognized as a charitable organization due to its “educational” purpose and thus has tax-exempt status. Entities with this exemption “are absolutely prohibited” from contributing to political campaigns or candidates, either directly or indirectly, the IRS states.
Scalese said the university no longer had records of the reported earlier contributions, which the Times Union found also included a $125 donation to Republican William Sanford, a former SU rowing coach, during his 2002 reelection campaign for the New York State Assembly.
Other contributions included a donation to the New York State Broadcasters Association in 2016 and the United Steelworkers of America District 4 PAC in 2001, The Times Union reported.
Scalese told The Times Union that contributions to partisan political causes using school funds violate SU’s policies.
Following the investigation, some of the political organizations’ leaders told The Times Union they’d refund any “inadvertent” contributions — including Elle Hanna, a CenterState CEO spokesperson.
NYSBA President and Executive Director, David Donovan, also said he would refund SU. He said he believes one of the university’s radio stations donated accidentally when attempting to pay membership dues, The Times Union reported.
“We are reviewing our internal processes to ensure all expenditures are properly classified going forward,” Scalese told The Times Union.
This story may be updated with additional reporting.
