Slaughter unfazed by family's suit

Though the multi-million dollar Robertson suit has "mushroomed wildly out of control," with another court date set for November, students should not feel any adverse effects, Wilson School dean Anne-Marie Slaughter '80 said at a town meeting for graduate students last night.

Echoing her previous remarks on the case, Slaughter emphasized her desire for Wilson School students to pursue jobs in government, despite the Robertsons' accusations. "If they dropped this suit tomorrow," she said, "I'd still be up here encouraging you to go into government."

The meeting was the second held specifically to inform graduate students about the Robertson case, fundraising and other issues in the school. The first was held last spring.

The University has been embroiled in the high-profile dispute since July 2002, costing both sides in excess of $7 million.

The Robertsons allege that the University has misused the Robertson Foundation's funds — the more than $650 million earmarked for the school's graduate programs — by ignoring the original intent of the late donors Charles '26 and Marie Robertson, which they say was to place Wilson School graduates in federal government jobs, especially those in foreign policy. The University denies any misuse and says it does a good job of placing graduates in the public sector.

Slaughter said the Robertsons' initial charge that the Wilson School discourages its graduate alumni from taking jobs in the U.S. government swelled "once the lawyers got their hands on it."

Since the 1960s, she added, "all the public policy schools are sending less grads to government. The government doesn't have the jobs graduates were being hired for ... This is really not a rational lawsuit at this time."

The Robertson family did not immediately respond to interview requests last night.

Slaughter said she has been primarily focused on fundraising and development, not the Robertson case. She said she hopes to double the size of the Scholars in the Nation's Service fellowship and expand the graduate programs by 110 to 120 students, though that is contingent on securing new funding and Nassau Hall's approval.

Slaughter denied that recent fundraising efforts were related to replenishing the Wilson School's coffers in case the Robertsons win their suit.

"I'm not fundraising because I'm afraid we'll run out of money or lose the case," she said.

Last year's 75th anniversary celebrations, she added, were "the party" and now she's "passing the hat" for donations.

Day in court

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The Robertson case has played out both in the courts and the press over the last four years, as the two sides trade increasingly harsh allegations and accusations.

The University filed two briefs in March, arguing that the Wilson School had upheld the Robertson Foundation's mission and appropriate allocated funds. The Robertsons countered in May with a motion to allow the testimony of two former State Department employees who could not testify because of the department's regulations.

In late July, The Wall Street Journal published a column about donor intent that mentioned the Robertson case. It elicited a letter to the editor in support of the University's position by University Vice President and Secretary Bob Durkee '69. Ten days later, Bill Robertson defended his family's position in the case, contending that the family does not plan to "seize control" of the foundation for its personal benefit, as Durkee said in his letter.

The next court date is scheduled for November, but the University has already submitted the materials that will be argued. "In the school, a lot of time and energy has gone into this case ... now a lot of that work is done," Slaughter explained.

After the next round of arguments from both sides, Slaughter said, the next move will "probably be another round of negotiations."

"If that doesn't work, the case would probably go to court around this time next year."

A first-year graduate student at the meeting asked Slaughter what she thought the lawsuit means for current graduate students. "Is there any impact for us?" the student, who did not want to be named in print, said.

"I hope not," Slaughter replied. "The only way it impacts you is the negative publicity since [the Robertsons] have hired a publicity firm."

After the meeting, a few graduate students said the case had not affected their decision to go to the Wilson School. One noted that most students were accepted by multiple schools of public policy and would have opted to go elsewhere if the case was a concern.