DEC 5, 2024 | NEWS | By Seth Jahraus
Members of the Colorado College Board of Trustees donated at least $48,588 to various political action committees and campaign funds during the 2024 general election cycle, according to individual contribution data collected by the Federal Election Commission.
From Nov. 3, 2020 until Nov. 25, 2024, CC’s 24 charter trustees and three board officers donated overwhelmingly to the Democratic party. More than $14,000 went toward the Harris campaign fund and more than $32,000 went to various Democratic congressional candidates and PACs, such as ActBlue.
The only donation to the Republican party from a CC Board member recorded by the FEC during the 2024 election cycle was from Board Chair Jeff Keller ‘91 who donated $1,500 to Tennessee senator Bill Hagerty in Sept. 2023.
Hagerty is a known supporter of President-Elect Donald Trump and a big name in the GOP. Hagerty was on Trump’s presidential transition team in 2016, and was someone that news outlets tossed around during conversations surrounding the president-elect’s choice for the Treasury Secretary before Scott Bessent’s nomination. On the social media platform X, Hagerty has staunchly promoted the Trump campaign, supporting its stances on border security and the economy.
Keller declined an interview, but said in an email that “CC as an institution of higher education is non-partisan. As a Board, we don’t bring our partisan affiliations to our work as a Board.”
The largest donation made during the election cycle came from member So Yong Park ’87, who donated $26,900 to members of the Democratic party, $13,300 of which went to Harris’ campaign in Aug. 2024.
Out of the 27 members, 11 made political donations of some sort as recorded by the FEC during the 2024 election cycle. This does not necessarily mean that the other members did not donate in some capacity. Smaller cash donations or direct donations to local officials may be untraceable by the FEC. Donations made to 501(c)(4) political finance organizations may also be untraceable.
According to the Colorado College Freedom of Expression Policy, members of the college can participate in political activity “in whatever form, including via electronic or social media” as long as they do not “represent themselves as a spokesperson for the College.”