Several elite universities in the United States have received major pushback from donors since October as leaders of the schools failed to speak out against antisemitic speech on their campuses.
Harvard University has received the most pushback from donors, though other schools, including the University of Pennsylvania and Yale University, have also seen withdrawn support since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7. In the wake of the pushback, Harvard President Claudine Gay announced she would resign from her position on Tuesday.
FOOD STAMPS: MICHIGAN JANUARY SNAP BENEFITS WORTH UP TO $1,751 ARRIVE TOMORROW
Steven Senne/AP
Gay’s resignation comes after University of Pennsylvania President Elizabeth Magill resigned in December.
Len Blavatnik
Blavatnik, a Jewish billionaire whose net worth is estimated to be $32 billion, wrote in a letter last month that he is withholding donations to Harvard until the university addresses antisemitism on campus and ensures that Jewish students are as protected as others on campus, according to a source familiar with the matter. An inside source familiar with the matter told CNN that Blavatnik’s foundation has donated at least $270 million to the school.
The Wexner Foundation board
Board members of the Wexner Foundation, a Jewish philanthropic organization, announced in October it was cutting ties with the school. The organization’s most recent nonprofit form 990 report stated it donated over $2 million for the school, $1.83 million for “leadership development,” and over $660,000 for “educational fellowships,”
“We are stunned and sickened at the dismal failure of Harvard’s leadership to take a clear and unequivocal stand against the barbaric murders of innocent Israeli civilians by terrorists,” a letter from the organization said.
The Harvard Jewish Alumni Association
A letter from over 1,600 alumni from Harvard said they would halt donations to the university until it took proper action against antisemitism on campus. The group is made up of both “very influential donors” and “more normal-sized donors” and was formed in October after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Jon Huntsman Jr.
Harvard is not the only school to have lost financial support, as the University of Pennsylvania has also undergone financial pressure from departures. In October, former U.S. Ambassador to China Jon Huntsman Jr. announced he would be withholding his funding of the university over the school’s “silence in the face of reprehensible and historic Hamas evil.”
Huntsman also resigned from his position as a board member at the school.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Nick Gaede Jr.
Yale is another university that has received pushback over its inaction against antisemitism, with Nick Gaede Jr., a 1961 graduate, withdrawing his support. Gaede explained that in the 60-plus years since he attended, “the level of tolerance and respect” at elite colleges like Yale has only decreased. As such, he opted to withdraw support from the school, according to an op-ed he wrote.
Gregory Daniels is your guide to the latest trends, viral sensations, and internet phenomena. With a finger on the pulse of digital culture, he explores what’s trending across social media and pop culture. Gregory enjoys staying ahead of the curve and sharing emerging trends with his readers.
