Colombia’s megadonors and famous alumni remain silent as pro-Palestinian protests tear up the university.
Billionaire businessman Leon Cooperman and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft are so far among a minority of high-profile names speaking out amid the turmoil at their alma mater.
Columbia is currently being rocked by the seventh day of protests as students stage a sit-in to demand that the university divest from companies that profit from Israel’s war and sever academic ties with its universities.
So far more than 100 activists have been arrested. The demonstration escalated again on Monday during the Jewish holiday of Passover, when staff and students walked out in protest of the NYPD’s call to control the protests.
But even former students like Alicia Keys, Warren Buffet, Julia Stiles and Jake Gyllenhaal have remained completely silent on the matter.
Colombia’s megadonors and famous alumni remain silent as pro-Palestinian protests tear up the university. In the photo: Teachers protesting on April 22, 2024.
Alumnus Barack Obama issued a message celebrating Easter, but did not acknowledge the unrest at his alma mater.
Famous singer Alicia Keys and Jake Gyllenhaal have remained silent amid the turmoil at their former school.
Even former President Barack Obama has not acknowledged the riots, despite posting a message celebrating Passover on his official X account as the clashes were taking place.
“At a time when there has been so much suffering and loss in Israel and Gaza, let us reaffirm our commitment to the Jewish people and to people of all faiths, who deserve to feel safe wherever they live and practice their faith,” said the former wrote the president.
By contrast, Kraft did not back down when he explained his decision to withdraw funding from Columbia on Monday.
“The school that I love so much, the one that welcomed me and gave me so many opportunities, is no longer an institution that I recognize,” he said.
“I am deeply saddened by the virulent hatred that continues to grow on campus and across our country.”
Hedge fund manager Cooperman criticized protesters for having “shit for brains.”
‘These kids are fucking crazy. “They don’t understand what they’re doing or what they’re talking about,” Cooperman, the son of Polish-Jewish immigrants, told CNN on Monday, adding that the protesters “have to be controlled.”
However, he expressed support for embattled university president Minouche Shafik, who canceled in-person learning on Monday due to the current chaos.
Demonstrations in Columbia escalated again on Monday (pictured) over Easter, as staff and students walked out in protest of the NYPD’s call to control the protests.
So far, more than 100 pro-Palestine activists have been arrested at the school. Camps continued to spring up Tuesday
But still, Columbia business school graduate Warren Buffet, pictured here in December 2017, has not made any public comments about the chaos on campus.
Columbia alumna Julia Stiles has not acknowledged tensions at her former university. Pictured: Stiles attends the Broadway opening of ‘The Wanderers’ at the Laura Pels Theater on Thursday, February 16, 2023.
“My opinion is that they are finally doing the right thing at school,” he said. “The administration is now responding appropriately…The president is now saying the right things.”
He clarified that he had asked the university to ensure that his money was only spent on the business school.
British-American businessman Len Blavatnik was also reportedly mulling whether to cut back on his donations. he New York Posteports.
“Columbia University’s leadership must take immediate action to ensure that Jewish students are protected from threats and intimidation, and that those who violate its policies are held accountable,” Blavatnik, founder of Access Industries, told the outlet.
James Gorman, chief executive of Morgan Stanley and president of Columbia Business School, declined to comment to CNBC when asked about his intentions.
Kraft’s decision is unprecedented and follows similar actions by donors at Harvard and UPenn.
The withdrawal of funds by billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman and subsequent pressure on Harvard’s administration were instrumental in forcing the resignation of former president Claudine Gay.
UPenn’s public disavowal by peer financier Mark Rowan partly forced Liz Magill to resign just days after her disastrous testimony before Congress about allegations of anti-Semitism on her campus.