Ken Griffin to halt support for Harvard unless it makes changes

Ken Griffin to halt support for Harvard unless it makes changes

Kenneth C. Griffin, founder and CEO of Citadel, said he will no longer support his alma mater, Harvard University, unless it makes significant changes, Fortune reports.

A Harvard College alumnus (’89), Griffin is one of the largest donors to the university, including a $300 million gift last year that renamed the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and $150 million in 2014. Griffin has accused elite U.S. colleges of producing “whiny snowflakes” and told members of Harvard Corporation, the university’s governing board, that he will not support the school unless it makes changes to “resume its role educating young American men and women to be leaders and problem solvers.”

Other wealthy donors already have paused their support of the university because of their concerns over its handling of antisemitism on campus as well as broader concerns over diversity initiatives and left-wing bias. Len Blavatnik, whose family foundation has given at least $270 million to Harvard, paused donations last month. Billionaires Idan Ofer and Leslie Wexner had previously halted support.

“Where are we going with education in elite schools in America?” said Griffin. “Or are they going to maintain being lost in the wilderness of microaggressions and a DEI agenda that seems to have no real end game.” 

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Jorge Antonio)