Judge Likely to Grant Claim Changes In Endowment Suit Against University

Matthew Hersh

The family involved in a lawsuit against the University about the alleged misappropriation of about $100 million in endowment funds will likely be able to widen the scope of their complaint.

The endowment, a $35 million gift donated in 1961 by Charles and Marie Robertson, now deceased, was given to support the creation of a graduate program at the University's Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs that would prepare students for careers in public service. The gift, now worth roughly $600 million, has been misspent, says William Robertson, son of Charles and Marie and an heir to the family's fortune built on the success of the national grocery chain, A&P.

At a court hearing Friday in Trenton, Superior Court Judge Neil Shuster of the Chancery Division, said that he will "likely" amend the complaint to allow prosecution to provide other evidence outside of the Robertson endowment, thus seeking to substantiate a pattern in how the University spends large gifts.

If granted, this amendment would alter an earlier decision by Judge Shuster to keep some documents sealed.

"Princeton [University] has blocked a good part of damaging evidence," Robertson family attorney Seth Lapidow said. "They're the ones hiding evidence, and there should be transparency."

Douglas Eakeley, lawyer for the University, maintained that the University had not hidden documents and that the monies appropriated by the Robertson endowment were spent in concordance with the mission of the foundation, which is to secure more graduates in public sector positions.

Mr. Eakeley also accused the Robertson team of taking part in a "media blitz" ignited by Mr. Robertson's June news conference.

The University maintains that it is "unwilling to argue the case in the press."

Judge Shuster viewed the back-and-forth as a means to propagate each side. "This is much ado about nothing," he said.

Mr. Robertson, who could possibly see a trial by the fall of next year if the parties don't settle, said it was difficult hearing the intentions of his parents argued in court proceedings.

"My parents were very sincere. They didn't want their money thrown away on buildings."

Jessie Washington, a former University employee, could be called as a witness claiming an alleged pattern of misspending by the University.

At the time, the Robertson gift was one of the largest donations in the history of higher education.

However, the relationship between the Robertsons and the University has slowly frayed, and the family claims that too many Woodrow Wilson graduates are entering the private sector. Therefore, they say, the endowment should be returned to the family.