Colleges endowments plunge - Laura Diamond, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Colleges in Georgia — and across the nation — saw their endowment fortunes plummet by about 19 percent during the 2009 fiscal year, affecting the amount officials can spend on student scholarships and other programs. Some Georgia endowments fell more than the national average — including a 26 percent decline at Georgia Tech, a 23 percent drop for the University of Georgia Foundation and a 21 percent loss for Emory University, according to a survey released today by the Commonfund Institute and the National Association of College and University Business Officers.