Reckoning with Students and Donations: Ivy League Universities Face Scrutiny
A transformation is taking place within the Ivies and other prestigious universities, as top students are seeking education elsewhere and alumni contributions are decreasing due to these institutions abandoning their missions and principles in favor of “woke” culture.
Which institutions will benefit? Schools that have stood firm against this decay, such as Purdue, Boston College, potentially the University of Chicago, and even universities like Clemson and Ole Miss.
The recent catalyst for change is the public displays of antisemitism following October 7, disguised as “pro-Palestine” activism. However, this madness is a result of a long-standing shift away from campus values of free speech and enlightenment principles.
StopAntisemitism evaluates 25 colleges each year on their effectiveness in addressing antisemitism, assigning letter grades based on their performance.
In their 2024 report, it was found that 72% of Jewish students feel unwelcome in certain areas of campus simply because of their Jewish identity, with 52% reporting personal experiences of antisemitism at their schools. These findings were supported by another group, Alums for Campus Fairness.
In terms of grades, many elite schools like MIT, Brown, and Cornell, as well as notable institutions like UC Davis, the University of Washington, and the University of Oregon received failing grades.
(Columbia also received an F in the last ranking in 2022.)
Other prestigious schools received C’s and D’s, including Vassar and Stanford.
Meanwhile, Clemson and the University of Mississippi received A grades, indicating that states with a red political leaning are now perceived as places where hate is not tolerated.
In terms of free speech rankings by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, schools are assessed on their support of free expression, with institutions like Cornell, Brown, and Columbia ranking poorly compared to Clemson and the University of Mississippi.
It’s clear that woke institutions are facing repercussions in terms of student applicants and donors.
For example, Harvard saw a 17% decline in early decision applications for the class of 2028.
Additionally, wealthy alumni such as Bill Ackman, Marc Rowan, Robert Kraft, and Ken Griffin have announced they will halt donations, some of which exceeded $100 million. Many smaller donors are expected to follow suit.
These institutions on the left are reluctant to relinquish power or address the issues promptly; schools like Harvard and Columbia are feigning reform, hoping to weather the storm even if it means depleting their substantial endowments.
However, there is increasing talk of imposing taxes on these endowments in response to these stalling tactics.
Unless these institutions actively eliminate their toxicity and refocus on their core missions, they are all headed towards a rapid decline.
