In the past decade, the tax-exempt status held by higher education institutions has come under increased scrutiny. In 2016, Congress sent a letter to private institutions with endowments over $1 billion, challenging the increase in tuition at rates far above inflation, despite these institutions’ large and growing assets. [1] A significant portion of this growth in college endowments has come from huge land-holdings, with universities paying essentially no property tax as they are 501(c)3 organizations. For example, while imposing massive tuition increases, Columbia University has become the largest landowner by number of addresses in New York City, owning 209 properties, with the next largest private property-holder being New York University (NYU). [2] Columbia and other universities' commercial land holdings illustrate that their organizations are not being exclusively operated as academic or research centers and, therefore, lack justification for 501(c)3 benefits. However, the most egregious display of 501(c)3 status abuse still lies in the college sports complex.

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