A new wave of student protests against the war in Gaza has swept university campuses. Top American colleges are in turmoil, with dozens of pro-Palestinian student protesters having been arrested at N.Y.U. and Yale amid new worries about antisemitism on campus. University administrators have been struggling to restore calm, and have taken heavy criticism from students and lawmakers alike. The growing question is whether wealthy donors to these schools — who helped topple the leaders of the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard last year — will speak out as well.
Recent Events
The latest developments in campus unrest include police being called in to break up pro-Palestinian protests at N.Y.U. and Yale on Monday, following more than 100 arrests at a demonstration at Columbia. Harvard has shut Harvard Yard, and Columbia will make classes at its main campus hybrid until next week. Encampments were growing at other schools, such as M.I.T., the University of Michigan, and the University of California, Berkeley.
Donor Response
One major donor, Bob Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, has weighed in on the protests. Kraft suggested that he would withhold donations, stating, “I am no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff, and I am not comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken.” Kraft, an alumnus and longtime donor to Columbia, is also a supporter of Jewish causes. He helped fund the school’s Robert K. Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life and started the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
