Coffee v. William Marsh Rice University

COLEMAN, Justice.

This suit was instituted by William Marsh Rice University and the duly appointed trusT tees thereof, for the purpose of determining whether, under a proper construction of the Indenture, pursuant to the terms of which the corporation was formed, the trustees, in the exercise of their discretion, are free to accept as students qualified applicants without regard to color and to charge tuition to those able to pay. The plaintiffs prayed, in the alternative, that the court authorize such action under the equitable doctrines of cy pres and deviation, and for a declaratory…