Bill Ackman, the renowned founder of Pershing Square Capital Management and a Harvard alumnus, is now shifting his focus towards the President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Sally Kornbluth, following the recent resignations at Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.
Ackman has been vocal in his criticism of what he perceives as a failure by the leaders of these prestigious institutions to adequately address antisemitism on their campuses. This issue came into sharp focus during a congressional hearing in December, where the responses of university presidents to questions about violence against the Jewish community were deemed unsatisfactory by Ackman.
In a post on Tuesday, following the resignation of Harvard's President Claudine Gay, Ackman questioned MIT President Kornbluth's stance with a pointed message, "Et tu Sally?" This followed the earlier resignation of the University of Pennsylvania's President, Liz Magill, in December.
Ackman has been outspoken in his call for the presidents of these universities to step down, citing their hesitance to denounce calls for violence against Jews during the congressional hearing. His criticism extends to issues of alleged plagiarism by Harvard's Gay and a broader accusation of failing to tackle rising antisemitism, particularly in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In December, Ackman expressed his dismay on social media, stating, "Why has antisemitism exploded on campus and around the world? Because of leaders like Presidents Gay, Magill, and Kornbluth who believe genocide depends on the context." He emphasized that if a corporate CEO had given similar answers in a congressional testimony, they would face immediate repercussions.
Regarding MIT's response, a spokeswoman stated that the institution's leadership remains committed to its mission and is not distracted by these developments. However, the university has not issued a direct response to Ackman's latest comments.
Despite Harvard's board reaffirming its support for President Gay in December, she faced ongoing allegations of plagiarism and continued calls for her resignation, leading to her eventual departure. Ackman has been a critical voice in these developments, continually highlighting what he perceives as a failure in leadership in addressing antisemitism on campus.
At the December hearing, Kornbluth, when questioned about the presence of "intifada" chants on MIT's campus, acknowledged hearing such chants, which she noted could be antisemitic depending on the context. She stressed her personal and administrative opposition to antisemitism and informed the committee of her actions to combat it at MIT.
Ackman's campaign against these university leaders reflects his broader concern about the rise of antisemitism and the accountability of educational institutions in addressing this issue. His focus now remains on MIT and President Kornbluth, as the situation continues to develop.
