Kerby Anderson

Yesterday I talked about the post Hamas world. I ended with an observation that many Americans have developed an even more negative opinion of our universities because presidents at these elite institutions could not condemn the evil actions by Hamas against Israel. Major donors are pulling their money from these elite schools, while administrators and professors with a conscience have taken to criticizing moral cowardice.

Zeke Emanuel is the current vice provost at the University of Pennsylvania.  He wrote an op-ed in the New York Timesand complained about the current state of US higher education. He believes that the statements blaming Israel for the Hamas attack are reprehensible.

At Harvard, many donors are withdrawing their support. More than 30 student organizations signed a statement blaming Israel for the killing done by Hamas. The president offered a bland and ambiguous statement about the Hamas attack. Former Harvard president Lawrence Summers said in a tweet that he had “never been as disillusioned and alienated” as he was with the student and administrative actions at Harvard.

Israeli billionaire Idan Ofer announced his resignation from the Dean’s Executive Board at the Kennedy School saying he and his wife “are disappointed by the lax statements and lack of clear position by the university officials against the murderous terrorism on Hamas.”

Marc Rowan is the chairman of the Wharton School of Business board of trustees. He called for the university president and the president of the university board of trustees to resign. More than a half dozen major donors have written to the university announcing their intention to cut ties with the university because they see a culture of antisemitism.

Many of the people speaking out hoped that these universities would see the light. Since they have not, they will now feel the heat.