Hrm, I don't think that's illegal in and of itself. I engage in quid pro quo transactions all the time. For example, when I go to the grocery store, I give them money and I get bananas. This for that. Quid pro quo is only illegal when the money is in exchange for otherwise illegal behavior, such as bribing a government official to assign a contract to your company.
Of course, it's not illegal to admit someone to a university for a price. The donor couldn't deduct the donation from your taxes, or at least the portion of it which was required to secure enrollment for a given student. But other than that, I'm not aware of any law which would put someone "on the hook" for this.
Of course, it's not illegal to admit someone to a university for a price. The donor couldn't deduct the donation from your taxes, or at least the portion of it which was required to secure enrollment for a given student. But other than that, I'm not aware of any law which would put someone "on the hook" for this.