Billionaire Donor Withdraws Support from Brown University Amidst Controversy over Academic Boycott of Israel

Barry Sternlicht, a real estate entrepreneur and one of Brown University’s top donors, has recently announced that he will withdraw financial support from the university due to its willingness to consider joining an academic boycott of Israel. This move comes after the University of Rhode Island became the first higher education institution in the United States to agree to discuss an academic boycott of Israel, with the final decision to be made by the board of governors in June.

Brown University’s president, Christina Paxson, responded to the controversy by stating that as part of an agreement, students will dismantle an encampment and refrain from violating the university code for the rest of the academic year. However, this decision has sparked outrage from Sternlicht, who called it unconscionable. Given his substantial wealth exceeding three billion dollars, Sternlicht believes that ignoring facts and promoting propaganda under the guise of education sets a dangerous precedent.

The 63-year-old businessman emphasized that there should be no room for discussion when facts are being ignored and views this issue as a betrayal of true educational values. This controversy highlights ongoing debates and controversies surrounding academic freedom, activism, and political stances within educational institutions in the United States.