Antisemitism continues to be a problem on campus, as we discussed here. University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill resigned after embarrassing testimony before Congress and losing hundreds of millions in donations to her institution.
So far, Harvard has stood by its president -- Claudine Gay -- despite not only the antisemitism, but significant plagiarism.
But money talks, and continuing to lose donors may be enough to push Gay out of office.
Billionaire Len Blavatnik joins growing list to yank donations to Harvard amid antisemitism, plagiarism scandals https://t.co/rPYvzGtH7X pic.twitter.com/VeOX3CukHV
— New York Post (@nypost) December 22, 2023
Another billionaire has snapped his checkbook shut to Harvard University.
Businessman Len Blavatnik and his family foundation have paused their millions of dollars in funding to the Ivy League as it stands behind president Claudine Gay despite accusations she stood by as students spewed antisemitic rhetoric on campus, according to a report.
The Harvard Business School alumnus will halt his funding until the university directly addresses what he sees as rampant antisemitism at the school, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Bloomberg.
Blavatnik and his wife, Emily, have donated at least $270 million to Harvard, with about $200 million directly benefiting the medical school.
Blavatnik joins an ever-growing list of very wealthy people who are closing their wallets to colleges and universities over the antisemitism that has come to an ugly head since the October 7 Hamas terror attacks in Israel.
We say good for them, and more of this, please.
Another domino falls as billionaire Len Blavatnik (pictured here with wife Emily) pulls Harvard mega donation due to the school’s embarrassing failures fighting Jew hatred.
— StopAntisemitism (@StopAntisemites) December 22, 2023
Kudos to the Blavatniks 👏 pic.twitter.com/X8UCoJmd5j
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Kudos, indeed.
The Harvard Board has to be in panic mode. Good.
— Savannah (@BasedSavannah) December 22, 2023
Are they, though? They stand by Gay. Is losing $200 million-plus in donations from Blavatnik enough to get them to reconsider? Or do they think they can weather this?
As a @Harvard alum, I'm disappointed that the @HarvardAlumni didn't reach out to us for input before expressing support for Gay's leadership during this challenging time. I believe it's crucial for the alumni community to be heard and included in discussions.
— Dr Non (@nonarkara) December 22, 2023
They didn't reach out to the alumni? We're honestly surprised, but also not -- they probably wouldn't like what they heard from alums. Especially those who spend Harvard money.
Wonder is there’s a cost-benefit analysis happening about whether she’s a liability or asset to the university.
— Benjamin Bilski (@BenjaminBilski) December 22, 2023
If the Corporation doesn’t know how to do one, no doubt someone in @HarvardHBS can help teach it? https://t.co/USWPQfg0lr
There has to be a cost-benefit analysis going on. How much more is the board willing to lose to continue standing by Claudine Gay? What is their proverbial line in the sand?
Everything these woke Leftists touch turns to crap. https://t.co/3h0ZVdpyO5
— Christian 🇺🇲🇮🇱 (@ChristianCamara) December 22, 2023
Remember when going to Harvard was a prestigious deal? The best education one could get in the United States?
Now it's become this -- run by woke leftists where calling for Jewish genocide is 'free speech' but 'sizeism' is violence.
They’re gonna call this the Ackerman effect https://t.co/NSR1fNGspF
— Lost in the Ether (@AnonDogAcct) December 22, 2023
A fitting name for this movement of defunding the hotbeds of hatred that are our colleges and universities.
She might be out by the new year https://t.co/gftWwsks2c
— Padrino (@facts215_) December 22, 2023
We've got a little more than a week to see if this prediction comes true or not.
Great start, but we need to pull federal funding and tax the endowment. They not only serve no societal value, they are actively destroying them. pic.twitter.com/RTEimTvOhd
— A is A (@weRessential) December 22, 2023
They are certainly turning out uneducated, woke hive-mind leftists, and that's of absolutely zero value to society.
Nice. Was it worth it @Harvard ? Do the math. You’re supposed to be a bunch of geniuses.
— Mike Afromowitz (@afromike76) December 22, 2023
Spoiler alert: they are not geniuses. They are not even particularly smart, it seems.
Good for them.
— Andy Rubin (@AndyRubinski) December 22, 2023
Time to stop supporting racist institutions and people, however large or small. https://t.co/CzoowyV7XO
The sooner the money to these places runs dry, the sooner they will fold, and the better.
This how you stop the insanity. Stop funding insanity. https://t.co/Qf11cPnAgV
— 🇺🇲 The Nation of McNasty 🇺🇸 (@rlmjr65) December 22, 2023
'Stop funding insanity' should be the slogan for 2024.
Good on Len Blavatnik. And the more articles like this describe the outcry over Gay’s plagiarism as being from conservatives, the more they implicitly communicate that the left has given up on academic rigor and standards. And then, what exactly is the point of Harvard? https://t.co/vH5RiWwWT0
— Melissa Braunstein (@slowhoneybee) December 21, 2023
The fact that the Left has looked at Gay's plagiarism and said it was no big deal begs the question: what's the point of Harvard if there's no academic standards?
The only point, if there are no standards, is to be an institution of indoctrination. And why should anyone -- from private donors to tax dollars -- fund this?
Thank you Len Blavatnik for coming to your senses! pic.twitter.com/uaorA2GFdX
— Sloan Rachmuth (@SloanRachmuth) December 21, 2023
People are very appreciative of donors withholding money from places like Harvard. That does not bode well for these institutions.
Harvard University just lost another huge donor.
— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) December 22, 2023
Len Blavatnik is worth $40 billion.
Blavatnik’s family foundation is “halting its donations due to anti-Semitic incidents on campus.”
Harvard doesn’t care about antisemitism but they will care about this. pic.twitter.com/bwcH31QsWd
And maybe losing hundreds of millions will make them care and do something about the antisemitism on campus.
Havard donors are withholding more than a billion dollars unless there are changes to the administration. https://t.co/k1kKONoSvV
— Christopher F. Rufo ⚔️ (@realchrisrufo) December 21, 2023
A billion dollars. That is a tremendous amount of money.
The administration is now playing a game of ideological chicken with donors.
Who will blink first?
$$$ Talks
— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) December 21, 2023
Especially when leaving https://t.co/hbV6iZQUhf
That 'good bye' is very loud, isn't it?
Give your money to a less prestigious school and make it great.
— Todd Kashdan (@toddkashdan) December 21, 2023
Even an elementary or high school.
Harvard doesn’t need or deserve your money. https://t.co/ly5INH75gb
This is a fantastic idea. Harvard has an endowment north of $50 billion. The money donors are withholding could do a lot of good elsewhere. You know, in places that aren't antisemitic cesspools.
Can I suggest Len Blavatnik redirect his funds to the Yeshiva system. I guarantee better ROI on his investment https://t.co/ifanQgqpu7
— The Jewish Link (@thejewishlink) December 21, 2023
It would also make the Left very, very angry. That's a win-win, as far as we're concerned.
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