UK Has to Tap Into Donors' Principal

September 13, 2009 — Like many donors to universities, Dr. David B. Stevens wasn’t surprised when he got a letter from the University of Kentucky this summer saying that the fellowships he established had taken a hit from the stock market.

What Stevens didn’t realize is that the two-page letter was UK’s way of getting permission to dip into the principal of his original donations in order to make the expected payments this year for the two medical fellowships. And he said he’s not happy about that.