Yes, this donation is important to UO.  Thankfully, it was not for athletics.  Such donations demonstrate that those who succeed in business can sometimes leverage their success to help the greater public.  Unlike athletics which only contributes to beer bellies, support of science can provide long term benefit to the whole society.  It will take some time before UO can return to prominence in academics.  Frohnmayer (IMHO) did severe damage allowing talented researchers to flee, promoting a whole generation of very low quality administrators, and allowing the general counsel's office (with Melinda Grier) to have a major role in running the University.

UO President Schill is really beginning to look like a serious academic.  More power to him.  And many thanks to those like the Boyle's for supporting one of Oregon's institutions of higher ed especially in academic areas.