11 months ago
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Kenneth C. Griffin, popularly known as Ken Griffin, a billionaire hedge-fund manager, who has donated more than $500 million to Harvard University over the years has halted financial support for the university. Mr Griffin has accused elite US colleges of producing "whiny snowflakes" instead of future leaders.
Mr Griffin is the latest in a string of wealthy donors who have halted donations amid uproar over the university's handling of anti-Semitism on campus after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, CNN reported.
Mr Griffin said that he was pausing support for the university unless it makes significant changes.
At a press conference in Miami on Tuesday, Mr Griffin said, "I'm not interested in supporting the institution." He added that the university must make clear that it will "resume its role of educating young American men and women to be leaders and problem solvers".
According to Bloomberg, he accused leading US colleges of producing "whiny snowflakes" instead of future statesmen.
Meanwhile, Mr Griffin made a $300 million gift to Harvard's Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). According to CNN, the billionaire had earlier praised Harvard as a "great institution" and hailed FAS for being "committed to advancing ideas that will shape humanity's future, while providing important insight into our past."
Over the last few months, the university has come under intense scrutiny from lawmakers, students and alumni.
The US Education Department is conducting its investigation of anti-Semitism at Harvard and other schools.
Support from donors like Idan Ofer and Leslie Wexner had been previously suspended, and US Senator Mitt Romney accused the university of neglecting the safety of Jewish students.
English (US) ·