Taking the money will create a desire to defend the donor. In some idealized world, this doesn't have to happen, but in the real world, it will. For instance,

Taking the money will create a desire to defend the donor. In some idealized world, this doesn't have to happen, but in the real world, it will. For instance, eventually the donor will come to town and want a tour of the lab he donated to, or dinner with the dean at the faculty club. You started out with money, and now you have a relationship. From all accounts, Epstein in particular was a master at this. It also creates a link (which is bi-directional) between the prestigious institution and the donor. This association, after all, is part of the reason people give to institutions like MIT and not to their local community college. Some of the prestige "rubs off".