Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to give Harvard millions for computer science

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Saying he wants his alma mater to join the list of top computer science schools, former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer announced plans to give millions to Harvard.

Ballmer, who graduated from Harvard in 1977, said he would endow 12 professorships in computer science, a move that would increase the size of the department by 50 percent. While he did not specify how much money is involved, he told the Harvard Crimson its estimate of $60 million, based on $5 million for each professorship, was "pretty good."

"Right now I think everybody would agree that MIT, Stanford, and Carnegie Mellon are the top places," Ballmer said. "I want Harvard on that list."

Harvard President Drew Faust and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences Dean Cherry Murray joined Ballmer for the announcement Thursday.

"In my opinion, leadership in computer science is fundamental to Harvard remaining the leading institution in education," Ballmer said.

Ballmer graduated magna cum laude and a few years later joined Microsoft as its 30th employee. Two decades later, he succeeded Microsoft founder Bill Gates, a Harvard classmate who dropped out, as CEO.

Harvard's computer science program has been expanding rapidly, the Crimson said, with the number of students concentrating in the subject tripling in the past five years. This year, 780 undergraduates took Computer Science 50: "Introduction to Computer Science I," making it Harvard's largest single class.