Thursday, May 30, 1996

$5 million pledge fails to materialize, name now for saleBy John Digrado

Daily Bruin Staff

Griffin Commons is undergoing an identity crisis.

After this summer, students will have to call the hub of academic and dorm activity on The Hill by a different name.

After months of bargaining with the university for time, homebuilding mogul Paul Griffin Jr. announced he would be unable to make good on the $5 million pledge that put his and his wife's names on the building.

Griffin's pledge ­ originally made in the name of the athletic department ­ allowed the university to keep the initial design of the building instead of removing one floor now used for athletic department offices and tutoring services.

Without the contribution, "it was clear that we would lose that floor," said Rick Perdy, associate director of development and public affairs for the athletic department.

"In all good faith and conscience, they wanted to make (the pledge) and we wanted to accept it," Perdy added.

"It's an unfortunate thing," admitted Griffin, president of Griffin Homes. "But I am not upset with UCLA and it's something that is best for (the university)."

A joint venture between the College of Letters and Sciences and the athletic department, the building serves the needs of both athletics and academics. The Commons provides office and study space, tutoring classrooms and houses Sunset Village's dining facility.

Attempting to keep the agreement together, Griffin and the university began to search for ways to produce the donation, but finally gave up a few months ago.

This was a situation "we really were hoping not to deal with," Perdy said. "We worked long and hard at looking at other ways for him to meet his obligation.

"The numbers just didn't pencil out," he added.

In a January letter to Chancellor Charles Young, Griffin asked the university to remove the names from the building, a first in UCLA history.

"It has become apparent that the length of time that it will take to complete our commitment is creating a hardship for UCLA," Griffin wrote.

"We are therefore requesting that our name be removed from the Commons Building so that the university is free to seek another donor for this particular naming opportunity."

Over the years, Griffin has continuously given time and money to his alma mater. A 1953 graduate, he has presided over and is currently a board member of the UCLA Foundation, a private fundraising group for the university.

His donations have aided various segments of the campus, from the J.D. Morgan Hall of Fame to the philosophy department.

And, when the university found itself short of funds for the Commons in 1990, Griffin pledged the $5 million necessary to continue construction as planned. In his honor, the building was christened the Paul and Gloria Griffin Commons.

But things went sour in the homebuilding industry. With the deep recession of the early 1990s came a slew of losses to Griffin's company, and in 1992 Griffin Homes declared bankruptcy.

"We made the pledge when our business was good, and we wanted to help see the building to its completion," Griffin said. "It finally became apparent that we couldn't fulfill the pledge."

Because the Griffins backed out, the university will find a new donor, using the building's name as an incentive and a show of gratitude for a large contribution.

While the search has already begun for a replacement donor, Perdy noted that it is still in the preliminary stages. He would not name any potential contributors, but said that several have been identified.

"What we are hoping is that we will be able to identify another donor and suggest if that donor were to make a very significant contribution ... we would name it in honor of another large gift to the university," Perdy said.

The naming opportunity is a valuable asset to the university, agreed Joseph Mandel, vice chancellor of financial affairs. "We have an obligation to not let that asset go untapped."

But as the situation created strains between the Griffins and the university, Perdy maintained that "There is no one more upset over this whole situation than Paul and Gloria.

"All of us were particularly frustrated at the fact that the situation occurred," he said. "But there is really no great personal frustration at all. They are really great friends of the athletic department and UCLA, and they always will be."

The names will be taken down from the Commons sometime this summer, Perdy added.

Despite previous frustrations, Griffin pledged his support of the replacement donor process, stating that he will be active in the search and will do everything within his power to help the university.

"I've worked for the benefit of UCLA for over 30 years," Griffin said. "I love the university and so does my wife, and we plan to work for them for another 30 years," he added.

GENEVIEVE LIANG

Griffin Commons, part of the Sunset Village complex, will soon undergo a name change because donor Paul Griffin Jr. could not fulfill his $5 million pledge.