Cal Lutheran, Gallegly Face Off Over Center

 Former congressman Elton Gallegly has accused California Lutheran University in a lawsuit filed in November of refusing to account for more than $1 million in donations and failing to fully establish the Gallegly Center for Public Service and Civic Engagement on its campus. 

University leadership has denied the claims alleging that the Thousand Oaks school had breached its contract or refused to account for donated money, saying they are “disappointed” by the former congressman’s decision to pursue legal action. 

According to a press release from Gallegly, who represented a Ventura County district for 26 years, he agreed to donate papers from his time in office to the school and raised money for the construction of a namesake center in the library. In return, Gallegly alleges that Cal Lutheran promised to maintain a replica of his congressional office, archive his papers, organize an internship program and maintain a speaker series, which he claimed hasn’t happened.

“Cal Lutheran is very proud of the fact that we have not only honored the letter of the agreement, but the spirit of the agreement. So we feel very confident that we are honoring the contract,” Lori Varlotta, the university’s president, said of the accusations. She added that the suit came up after the university told Gallegly the school would need to remove the replica office to make way for the archived documents, which should be on display in early January. 

At the crux of the lawsuit, according to a representative for Gallegly, is not solely the replica office’s removal, but questions surrounding the use of donated funds, the maintenance of the fellowship program and development of its speaker series. 

The Reagan-Gallegly fellowship program, a partnership with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute, provides annual scholarships for two students pursuing a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Administration. Eleven students have been selected as fellows since the program’s founding. The speaker series — paused by coronavirus concerns, according to the university — has hosted one speaker, Condoleezza Rice, at the 2018 inaugural event in the Gallegly Center.

“I have never sued anyone in my lifetime, so I do not take this step lightly,’’ Gallegly said in a statement. “But I feel I have no alternative but to compel Cal Lutheran to live up to the agreement they sought with me to establish the Gallegly Center and curate my papers and materials. Not just for me but also the donors who generously gave to bring this into fruition.”

Gallegly is seeking for the court to make a “declaration of the rights and duties between the parties concerning the establishment of the charitable trust” for the center and for an accounting of the funds raised. 

“We urge the university to reverse these decisions as they are clearly contrary to the mission, goals and vision of the Gallegly Center’s founder, Congressmen Elton Gallegly,” John Heubusch, executive director of the Reagan Foundation, said in a statement. “Otherwise, the Reagan Foundation & Institute will have no choice but to prohibit further use of President Reagan’s name by the university for purposes of the Reagan-Gallegly Fellowship program.” 

The university maintains it has complied with its obligations and “objects to any unfounded claim that calls into question our management of funds raised for this project.” 

“The university has coordinated several fundraising initiatives to support the facility and its programs. All donations to the Gallegly Center through the years have gone to support its functions,” read a university statement.