In brief: Schweitzer gives UI $2 million for engineering chair

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories has donated $2 million to the University of Idaho to create an endowed chair in the department of electrical and computer engineering.

The first individual to serve in the post will be announced Sept. 1. The focus will be on real-world applications in the field of power engineering.

SEL designs and builds digital products and systems that protect power grids around the world. The company employs more than 250 UI graduates, has 25 employees enrolled at UI and provides internships for 58 UI students.

“As SEL continues to invent new ways to monitor and control electric power systems, we require highly qualified engineers,” said David Whitehead, the company’s vice president of research and development. “Creating this endowed chair is a great way for us to help educate the next generation of power systems professionals.”

SEL is headquartered in Pullman, with customers in 147 countries.

GM makes 398 offers in ignition switch claims

DETROIT – A fund set up by General Motors will make 398 compensation offers to people killed or injured in accidents involving faulty ignition switches.

The fund says the switches were responsible for 124 deaths and 274 injuries. Victims’ families are being offered at least $1 million each.

The fund, administered by attorney Kenneth Feinberg, finished processing the 4,342 claims it received by the Jan. 31 deadline. Of those, 91 percent were deemed ineligible.

Fund spokeswoman Camille Biros said Tuesday that 298 of the 396 offers made so far have been accepted. Five have been rejected. The fund plans to make two more offers, bringing the total to 398.

NEW YORK – Good news for existing Verizon customers: You’ll still be able to get discounted phones for $100 or $200 by renewing a two-year service contract.

That part wasn’t clear when Verizon announced Friday that new customers will no longer get discounted phones, but they won’t have to sign two-year contracts, either. Instead, they’ll pay full price – it’s $650 for an iPhone 6 – while monthly fees for voice, text and data will go down.

Verizon clarified its policy in an email to the Associated Press on Tuesday. As long as you stay with the current plan, you can upgrade at a discount. So if you were anticipating a new model from Apple or Samsung, you can wait until those phones come out. Otherwise, you would have been limited to what’s available as of today, as the new policy kicks in Thursday.

Once you leave the current plan for a new one, though, you won’t be allowed back.

Fiat Chrysler appeals $40 million award

DETROIT – Fiat Chrysler said Tuesday it is appealing a Georgia court’s order to pay $40 million to the family of a child who died in a Jeep fire.

Earlier this spring, a 12-person jury found Fiat Chrysler negligent and awarded $150 million in damages to the family of 4-year-old Remington Walden. He died in 2012 after a Jeep Grand Cherokee he was riding in was hit from behind and burst into flames. The Jeep’s gas tank was mounted behind the rear axle, leaving it vulnerable in a rear crash.

Last month, Decatur County Superior Court Judge J. Kevin Chason reduced the damages to $40 million but rejected Fiat Chrysler’s request for a new trial.

Fiat Chrysler says the lower damages don’t undo the errors in the trial. The case now heads to the Georgia Court of Appeals.