UCI Receives $1.1 Million for Health Care Education

A $3.3-million grant for health-care administration education will be awarded to UC Irvine and two other public universities today by the Long Beach-based FHP Foundation.

The grant--consisting of $1.1 million each to UC Irvine, Cal State Long Beach and the University of Utah--is thought to be the largest contribution ever made to public universities by a private organization for health-care-administration education, said Dr. Robert Gumbiner, board chairman of the foundation.

The FHP Foundation was recently established to sponsor and promote education, research and charitable activities in the field of health care. It was funded initially by more than $7 million by FHP, Inc., a health maintenance organization based in Fountain Valley.

Each of the multimillion-dollar awards will establish professorial chairs in the field of health administration education. FHP spokeswoman Ruth Goldway said that in the case of UCI, the endowment will be utilized by its Graduate School of Management.

In addition to the $1.1-million grant, the three universities will receive up to $100,000 a year for the next 10 years as a hedge against inflation.

“This kind of cooperation between the university and the private sector is essential to developing new areas of study that are of interest to both the university and their communities,” said UCI Chancellor Jack Peltason in a prepared statement.

Gumbiner, who is also president of FHP Inc., said the recipients plan to expand present health care programs and establish new programs in their graduate schools.

The University of Utah and Cal State Long Beach plan to establish health care centers, Gumbiner explained, adding that the individuals who hold the professorial chair will manage a center for the study of health and behavior.

Formal awarding of the grant will take place at 11 a.m. today at the Breakers Hotel in Long Beach.