September 29, 1998
Contact: Ann Marie Deer Owens
(615) 322-2706
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September 29, 1998 Contact: Ann Marie Deer Owens (615) 322-2706 |
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - FDX Corporation, headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., will contribute $1.2 million to the Vanderbilt University Law School to endow the school's first professorship for faculty research.
"This research professorship will address a critical priority in Vanderbilt Law School's continued efforts to recruit and retain the nation's top legal scholars," according to Kent Syverud, dean of the law school and the Garner Anthony Professor of Law.
Syverud noted that several of the nation's top law schools already provide one or two leaves between sabbaticals for professors for intensive research and writing aimed at the completion of important books, articles or other published work of importance to current legal debate.
"These leaves have become extremely important to scholarly productivity as well as the academic reputation of major law schools," Syverud said.
"FDX, and most particularly FedEx, has benefited greatly over the years from the contributions of Vanderbilt Law School graduates," said Frederick W. Smith, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of FDX Corporation. "With this endowed chair at the law school, we acknowledge this contribution and hope that our future support will ensure that the law school continues its tradition of excellence."
The FDX Professorship will rotate among Vanderbilt law faculty members, enabling one professor each semester to complete a major research project while on leave from teaching.
Preference in awarding the professorship will be given to scholars whose research bears upon legal issues in areas such as the transportation industry, technology, informational and regulatory law, international law, commercial law and entrepreneurship.
Vanderbilt Law School will award the first research professorship in 1999, and will name two such professorships in 2000.
FDX Corp., a $16 billion holding company, provides comprehensive transportation, logistics, and supply chain management solutions on a worldwide scale. Its primary operating subsidiaries are Federal Express Corp. (FedEx), the world's largest express transportation company; RPS, Inc., a business-to-business ground package carrier; Viking Freight, Inc., a supplier of western U.S. freight services; Roberts Express, Inc., a critical shipment carrier; and Caliber Logistics, Inc., a contract logistics provider.
Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately 5,900 undergraduates and 4,300 graduate and professional students. Founded in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute, a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center. Vanderbilt offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences, education and human development, engineering and music, and a full range of graduate and professional degrees.
-VU-
Vanderbilt University is a private research university of approximately
5,900 undergraduates and 4,300 graduate and professional students. Founded
in 1873, the University comprises 10 schools, a public policy institute,
a distinguished medical center and The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center.
Vanderbilt offers undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and sciences,
education and human development, engineering and music, and a full range
of graduate and professional degrees.
For more news about Vanderbilt, visit the News and Public Affairs home page
on the Internet at http://www.vanderbilt.edu/News.