A major donor to Cornell University, a private Ivy League school in Ithaca, New York, said Tuesday: no longer provide funding The university said it is pushing “groupthink policies and racialization of DEI.”
John A. Linseth is a Cornell University alumnus, donor, and former trustee. open letter He called on the school's president, Craig Kaiser, and the board to halt its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. He called on Cornell University to “abandon its misguided approach to DEI because it has brought disgrace, not excellence.”
Linseth said DEI policies have permeated “every part of the university” and “every field of study,” creating a “toxic academic environment.” He said the result of adopting such radical approaches is “moral decline” and “corruption” that “undermines the fundamental principles of justice and freedom of speech.”
Linseth, who has been one of the university's largest donors for decades, sounded the alarm about the university's new “bias reporting system,” calling it a “hostile system where neighbors, classmates, and colleagues report each other.” “It fosters an Orwellian environment.” He accused universities of prioritizing “equal outcomes” over “demonstrated merit” and said that would be “disastrous for research universities.”
Linseth called for the removal of the school's president, Martha E. Pollack. He condemned her “shameful” response to recent terrorist attacks in Israel and noted that her response to George Floyd's death in 2020 was “swift and strong.”
“President Pollack is responsible for adding an even greater insult. Not only did she give DEI social engineering experiments the same priority as open inquiry, free expression, and academic freedom, but Cornell University A priceless historic bust of Abraham Lincoln has been removed along with a copy of it.'' A portion of the Gettysburg Address housed in the Cornell University Library was removed after students felt it was insulting to the most respected US president. Apparently, the university obliged (I have heard that it has now been returned). “Under the current administration, this is absolutely disgraceful,” Linseth wrote.
He claimed that under Pollack's leadership, “anti-Semitism and general intolerance on campus increased.” Mr. Linseth requested that Mr. Pollack's resignation be added to the Jan. 26 emergency board meeting.
“As a result of my writing this letter, more Cornell alumni are refusing to continue donating to their alma mater. Unfortunately, President Pollack and his administration have been unable to engage with the alumni involved and to support Cornell University. “They reject sound policy recommendations to correct course,” he said. said.
On Wednesday, Chairman Kaiser reiterated his support for Mr. Pollack's leadership.
“For nearly seven years, I have been a strong supporter of President Pollack, and that support remains strong.” “The Board of Trustees works effectively with the administration to respond to the various challenges facing higher education and the opportunities to advance the university’s mission.”
Do you like Blaze News? Avoid censorship and sign up for our newsletter to get articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. Please register here!
