You reached this page through the archive. Click here to return to the archive.

Note: This article is over a year old and information contained in it may no longer be accurate. Please use the contact information in the lower-left corner to verify any information in this article.

Rice County judge rules on St. Olaf petition regarding WCAL endowment-like funds


June 13, 2008

In December 2006 St. Olaf College filed a petition in Rice County District Court requesting that the court provide guidance on what should be done with a collection of endowment-like funds that had originally been donated in support of the college's radio station, WCAL. The station was sold to Minnesota Public Radio in November 2004.

In its petition, the college asked the court to determine that certain restrictions had lapsed; to allow in other circumstances donated funds to be used as suggested by surviving family members as to what their relatives would have wanted done with the gifts they donated to the college; and to permit St. Olaf to use a good portion of any remaining restricted funds to support activities that carry forward many of the core attributes of WCAL programming.

These activities could include the live Internet broadcasting of daily chapel and worship services from campus, the recording and dissemination of classical musical performances, and the production of the Sing For Joy program of religious music.

A ruling on the petition was issued by Judge Gerald Wolf on June 9, 2008. In the ruling, four of the six specific recommendations put forward by St. Olaf were approved. St. Olaf had asked for guidance from the court and the ability to begin using some of the funding for WCAL-related activities at the college and the ruling generally provided that. The funds, amounting to approximately $2.5 million and the annual endowment disbursements drawn there from, can now be used in a productive and responsible manner.

While some attention has been given to the judge's observations on the original transfer of WCAL's license to Minnesota Public Radio, Judge Wolf stated in his order that the sale of the station was not a matter before the court.

Contact Steve Blodgett at 507-786-3316 or blodgett@stolaf.edu.