How It Works
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The Linda C. Niessen, DMD, MPH, MPP Endowed Founding Dean of the College of Dental Medicine will be established as a permanent endowment within Kansas City University’s investment portfolio and governed by the University’s Board-approved Endowment Spending Policy.
Your gift creates a fund that is invested for long-term growth and preserved in perpetuity. The principal remains intact, while a portion of the investment earnings is distributed annually to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.
KCU follows a disciplined spending formula designed to provide both stability and sustainability. Annual distributions average approximately 5% of the fund’s five-year trailing market value, a method that smooths market fluctuations and protects the endowment’s long-term purchasing power.
Endowment funds are professionally managed and overseen by the University’s finance leadership and Board of Trustees. Each year’s distribution is calculated through KCU's formal budgeting process to ensure responsible use and alignment with institutional priorities.
If market conditions warrant caution, University leadership has the authority to adjust distributions to protect the fund’s long-term strength, ensuring that today’s impact never compromises tomorrow’s opportunity.
With your support, these flexible yet accountable resources will allow current and future deans to respond proactively to emerging needs while advancing KCU’s commitment to access, excellence and community impact.
And it would be a fitting tribute to a leader whose career has expanded opportunity, advanced public health, and inspired a new generation of dentists to serve where they are needed most.