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Billionaire investor Kenneth Griffin, who has donated over half-a-billion dollars to Harvard University but recently halted his contribution to the school due to concerns over antisemitism on campus, said he made the decision as feels that elite universities produce people who are “just caught up in the rhetoric of oppressor and oppressee and … just like whiny snowflakes”.
Griffin, who began trading in his Harvard dormitory and went on to become the most profitable hedge fund manager ever, made this announcement during a conference in Miami.Asked whether he was still supporting his alma mater financially, Griffin replied: “No … And I’ve made that clear to members of the corporate board.”
Griffin becomes the latest in a long line of donors, including Leslie Wexner and Len Blavatnik, who have chosen not to support Harvard and other elite universities.
In 2023, Griffin made headlines by donating $300 million to Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, bringing his total contributions to over half a billion dollars. However, criticism arose months later when students and alumni accused Claudine Gay, Harvard’s first black president, of mishandling demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas conflict and her testimony to Congress. Allegations of plagiarism also surfaced, leading to Gay’s resignation.
While other alumni, such as hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, publicly called for Gay’s removal, Griffin had not made any public comments about Harvard until now. “Until Harvard makes it very clear that they’re going to resume their role as educating young American men and women to be leaders, to be problem solvers, to take on difficult issues, I’m not interested in supporting the institution,” Griffin said.
Griffin left open the possibility of resuming his donations if Harvard demonstrates a commitment to its core values. In addition, Griffin raised concerns about America’s elite universities, questioning whether they will return to their original purpose of educating future leaders or continue to focus on microaggressions and diversity agendas without a clear endgame.
Griffin’s firm, Citadel, invests $56 billion. The firm achieved an annual gain of $16 billion in 2022, making it the most successful hedge fund in history. Harvard, with a $50.7 billion endowment, is the wealthiest university in the United States. However, some alumni, including Bill Ackman, have accused the university of mismanaging its assets.
Griffin, who began trading in his Harvard dormitory and went on to become the most profitable hedge fund manager ever, made this announcement during a conference in Miami.Asked whether he was still supporting his alma mater financially, Griffin replied: “No … And I’ve made that clear to members of the corporate board.”
Griffin becomes the latest in a long line of donors, including Leslie Wexner and Len Blavatnik, who have chosen not to support Harvard and other elite universities.
In 2023, Griffin made headlines by donating $300 million to Harvard’s Faculty of Arts and Sciences, bringing his total contributions to over half a billion dollars. However, criticism arose months later when students and alumni accused Claudine Gay, Harvard’s first black president, of mishandling demonstrations related to the Israel-Hamas conflict and her testimony to Congress. Allegations of plagiarism also surfaced, leading to Gay’s resignation.
While other alumni, such as hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, publicly called for Gay’s removal, Griffin had not made any public comments about Harvard until now. “Until Harvard makes it very clear that they’re going to resume their role as educating young American men and women to be leaders, to be problem solvers, to take on difficult issues, I’m not interested in supporting the institution,” Griffin said.
Griffin left open the possibility of resuming his donations if Harvard demonstrates a commitment to its core values. In addition, Griffin raised concerns about America’s elite universities, questioning whether they will return to their original purpose of educating future leaders or continue to focus on microaggressions and diversity agendas without a clear endgame.
Griffin’s firm, Citadel, invests $56 billion. The firm achieved an annual gain of $16 billion in 2022, making it the most successful hedge fund in history. Harvard, with a $50.7 billion endowment, is the wealthiest university in the United States. However, some alumni, including Bill Ackman, have accused the university of mismanaging its assets.
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