 In response to these legal challenges over Washington & Jefferson College 's tax @-@ exempt status , the Pennsylvania General Assembly unanimously passed House Bill 55 of 1997 , the Institutions of Purely Public Charity Act . The legislation was passed days before the court 's decision , when it was yet unclear how the court would rule in that case . Both the court decision and the legislation preserved the tax @-@ exemption for colleges , maintaining the status quo . The bill provided uniform standards for determining the tax @-@ exempt eligibility for all nonprofits , especially private colleges . The bill clarified the law and has had a long @-@ term impact on other nonprofits besides private colleges , including hospitals , nursing homes , and public universities . Brian C. Mitchell , President of the Council of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania ( CICU ) , was instrumental in getting the bill enacted . In 1998 , he was named President of Washington & Jefferson College . His experiences at president of the CICU were cited in his election announcement . 
