A small group of Harvard University alumni are trying to persuade the institution to support outside causes, particularly colleges in Africa, reports The New York Times.

Harvard Alumni for Social Action, a group formed three years ago, tried to get the university to share its alumni donors list as well as to redirect class-reunion gifts to Africa. Both ideas were rejected by Harvard’s leadership, although the institution did eventually agree to create a scholarship fund for African graduate students, after a former graduate agreed to provide $250,000 to support that effort.

“There are large amounts of money being given to Harvard and other wealthy universities every year by classes like ours, and they don’t really need it,” said Jennifer Freeman, a 1983 alumna and part of the Harvard Alumni for Social Action outreach committee.

“It is simply not our mission to provide direct financial support to universities elsewhere in the world,” countered Tamara Rogers, vice president for university development at Harvard.

Harvard University, with its $35-billion and growing endowment, and other wealthy academic institutions are facing increased scrutiny as to whether they are fulfilling their charitable purpose.

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