Oklahoma’s state colleges and universities have been engaged in a fierce scramble to finalize donations for endowed chairs by today, the deadline to qualify for matching funds from the state.

In May the state’s Legislature imposed a moratorium on matching gifts in order to clear a $125-million backlog, the Associated Press reported. Lawmakers approved a $100-million bond issue to deal with the backlog and said donations made before July 1 would still qualify for the matching program.

Oklahoma State University’s president, Burns Hargis, said pressure was intense to bring in the gifts before the deadline. “I have no trouble getting up in the morning,” he said. “My feet hit the floor, and I’m at full speed.”

Oklahoma State has collected more than $125-million for endowed professorships since May, with $100-million alone coming from the oilman T. Boone Pickens, an alumnus.

A gift announced today by the George Kaiser Family Foundation will divide $25-million for endowed chairs among Oklahoma State, the University of Oklahoma at Tulsa, and Tulsa Community College. —Kathryn Masterson