Colleges and universities across the U.S. try to argue that they are incubators of free speech and “inclusivity.” That narrative was diminished quickly in recent weeks as these places of higher education became hot zones for hate speech and violent threats against certain people groups.

The inclusivity failures continued this week in testimony before Congress. Presidents of some of the most elite schools in the country were forced to defend why their institutions allowed protesters on their campuses to openly call for violence against Jews.

Some in this parade of presidents were quick to spew public relations gibberish while avoiding directly condemn the protesters’ anti-Semitic narrative. The scene was painful to watch as these heads of higher education sidestepped questions about radical ideology while still claiming an inclusive campus environment.

Pandering to calls for violence cost the presidents, and their institutions, as the public backlash was swift and harsh. The University of Pennsylvania was hit hard. The university is facing a massive financial loss because of statements from the school’s president before Congress and the handling of anti-Semitism on campus.

From The Daily Wire:
Ross Stevens, founder and CEO of Stone Ridge Asset Management, is withdrawing a gift of limited partnership units with his company, the current value of which is estimated to be about $100 million.

Penn President Elizabeth Magill is at the center of the financial hit to the university. She gave indirect answers to lawmakers’ questions about the university’s codes of conduct and open calls for genocide of Jews on the school’s campus.

Magill testified that, “if the speech turns into conduct, it can be harassment,” adding that it is a “context-dependent decision.”

That was a tipping point for Stevens, a Penn undergraduate alumnus. He informed the school through his lawyers that he was rescinding his $100 million gift. In a letter to the university, he accused the school of violating the terms of their partnership agreement, including the anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies.

Stevens described the university’s stance on the issue as a “permissive approach to hate speech” and a “laissez faire attitude toward harassment and discrimination against Jewish students.”

This isn’t the first time Stevens has denounced liberal policies at Penn. He previously withdrew another $100 million gift to Penn’s business school, the Wharton School, reportedly because he believed the school was prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) over academic excellence. He then sent the gift to the University of Chicago.

Key Takeaways:

• Ivy League university loses massive financial gift over anti-Semitism testimony.
• President of the school dodges questions about radical views on campus.
• Donor describes school’s actions as a “permissive approach to hate speech.”

Source: The Daily Wire