A program to bring a journalism ethics professional to the School each year will be created through a $50,000 endowment set up by alumni Jan and Dave Rianda of Portland.

The David and Janice Rianda Visiting Professional in Ethics Fund will finance an annual, two-day visit by a journalism professional, who will motivate students and faculty to look closely at issues involving media ethics and responsibility. The visiting lectureship program also will introduce students to ethical role models and prepare students to be ethical communicators.

"The Rianda's gift will help us teach J-School graduates to find ethical answers to the challenging questions of an increasingly complex media world," said Dean Tim Gleason.

Jan Kautto and Dave Rianda met at the University of Oregon when they attended school in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Jan become a writer after earning a bachelor's in journalism in 1961. She worked for a Woodstock neighborhood newspaper in Portland. Now she does grant writing and public relations.

"The Rianda's gift will help us teach J-School graduates to find ethical answers to the challenging questions of an increasingly complex media world." --Tim Gleason

Dave earned a bachelor's in history in 1960 and a master's in journalism in 1965. He has served as the executive director of organizations such as the Northwest Osteopathic Medical Foundation and the STARS Foundation, established by Sharon Kitzhaber to help prevent teen pregnancies. He is now a grant-writing consultant.

The Riandas are giving a charitable remainder unitrust of stock currently worth $50,000. Many people think of cash donations when contemplating charitable gifts. Some may be surprised to learn that potential donors are not limited to giving money. Donors can support the School by giving real estate, business interests, and even stocks and bonds (securities) in a variety of arrangements.

These arrangements encourage giving by not only benefitting the University, but by benefitting the donor through income tax deductions and capital gains tax deductions or avoidance, while maintaining or increasing dividend income. The Riandas, for example, will continue to draw an income from their gift for the rest of their lifetimes.

Under such an arrangement, assets are placed in a trust that provides benefits to the donor or another designated person for a certain length of time. After that time, what remains of the trust is distributed to the University. The remainder principal from the Rianda's unitrust will be used to establish the visiting professional fund.