Dalai Lama Offers $100,000 to University Religion Department in Florida
Tuesday, May 26, 2009 
AP
The Dalai Lama has offered $100,000 to help an imperiled religion department at a Florida university after receiving an e-mailed plea.
MIAMI — The Dalai Lama has offered $100,000 to help an imperiled religion department at a Florida university after receiving an e-mailed plea for a letter of support from a longtime acquaintance on the faculty.
"He responded with this astounding, astounding offer," said Nathan Katz, a professor in the Department of Religious Studies at Florida International University. "I fell off my chair."
The department is one of three at FIU slated to close in response to a $27 million cut in state funding to the public university.
Katz said he e-mailed the Dalai Lama's office last month after finding out the program was in jeopardy and asked for a letter of support.
FIU received a letter from the Dalai Lama's office this week offering $100,000 and his help fundraising to prevent the planned closure of the department.
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