December 22, 2003 -- The University of Virginia's Department of Athletics has pledged $50,000 from its share of football bowl proceeds to finance an upcoming University music festival, Director of Athletics Craig K. Littlepage announced today.

"We are pleased to be in a position to support University programming through our football program's success," Littlepage said. "This year's gift to the music department continues a tradition of supporting important University academics initiatives - a tradition we believe to be important to all members of the University community."

Since the Cavalier football team's first postseason appearance in the 1984 Peach Bowl, the Department of Athletics has donated more than $830,000 toward academic projects. Among the causes bowl revenues have supported are computer purchases, the University's Eminent Scholars Endowment, a newspaper database for the University Library, endowment of the Cavaliers Distinguished Teaching Professorship, and a telephone course-registration system.

This year's gift will be able to cover the entire budget of the music festival, said Elizabeth Hudson, chairwoman of the University's McIntire Department of Music, which is organizing the event. While festival planning will not get underway until next semester, Hudson said her goal is to fashion a festival will be of interest to a wide range of students while dovetailing with her department's academic interests.

"It's clear," she added, "that we're going to be able to do something really exciting."

U.Va. expects to receive $1 million from the Atlantic Coast Conference as its share of the conference's bowl-game payouts, said Keith Vanderbeek, associate athletics director for business operations. The Cavaliers will face the University of Pittsburgh on Dec. 27 in the Continental Tire Bowl, played at Ericsson Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.