UCLA announced Tuesday that it would not be accepting a $3 million pledge made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, according to CBS Los Angeles.
The money was slated to go to support kidney research. But instead, the university said it would return the initial $425,000 payment from the Donald T. Sterling Foundation, and would not accept the balance of the money. The decision was made following the release of an audio recording of Sterling making racist comments during an argument with his girlfriend.
In a statement to CBS Los Angeles, UCLA said Sterling’s “divisive and hurtful comments demonstrate that he does not share UCLA’s core values as a public university that fosters diversity, inclusion and respect.”
“For those reasons, UCLA has decided to return Mr. Sterling’s initial payment of $425,000 and reject the remainder of a $3 million pledge he recently made to support basic kidney research by the UCLA Division of Nephrology,” the statement said.