Yesterday, I linked to an essay about the problems of our universities—on which the current burst of anti-Israel agitation has shone a spotlight—by the scholar and writer Peter Berkowitz. Today, I’m sharing a very different, but complementary, perspective on the same subject by the hedge-fund manager Bill Ackman, who recently publicized an open letter he wrote to the president of Harvard. His letter deftly identifies the problems and offers some practical solutions:
When you explained in your October 12th video address that Harvard “embraces a commitment to free expression,” you sent a clear message that the eliminationist and anti-Semitic statements of the protesters are permissible on campus. Putting aside the legal limitations on free speech that include restrictions on fighting words and true threats, . . . if Harvard indeed had a strong track record of protecting free speech, many would have taken your support for free speech more seriously. Unfortunately, Harvard has not embraced a serious commitment to free speech, particularly so in recent years.
I have heard from many members of the Harvard community that Harvard’s Office of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (“OEDIB”) is an important contributing factor to the problem. I was surprised to learn from students and faculty that the OEDIB does not support Jewish, Asian, and non-LGBTQIA white students. . . . The DEI statement [likewise] makes clear that Harvard’s conception of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging does not include Jews (at least those that are not in one of the other welcomed DEI groups).
[Moreover], your failure to condemn the barbaric acts of October 7th opened the door for a wave of anti-Israel attacks on campus that have led to a growing number of anti-Semitic protests and actions.
Because Harvard students are notoriously focused on their job and career prospects post-graduation, disciplinary actions by the administration for failure to meet the university’s standards for appropriate conduct that become part of a student’s permanent record should serve as an effective deterrent to overt anti-Semitic acts on campus.
Read more on Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/1720987581549080965?s=20