What Are the Consequences of Withholding Donations Versus Funding Student Endeavors?
By Dion J. Pierre, Campus Correspondent, The Algemeiner Journal, and Larissa Reece, Senior Consultant, Ashley|Rountree & Associates
Turn Off the Philanthropy Spigot
By Dion J. Pierre – Campus Correspondent, The Algemeiner Journal
Donors should be able to stop contributing to universities that teach ideas and implement policies with which they disagree, without guilt. You get what you pay for, and in the case of modern higher education, thousands of unsuspecting donors have been funding what was recently described to me by a Middle East scholar as a “synthesis of Marxism and fascism,” a new and aggressive form of race nationalism promoting itself as liberal and inclusive while it fosters neo-segregation, antisemitism, and seditious, anti-Western ideologies.
Lead by Example and Stop the Flow
Some have already taken the lead in setting an example that should be followed. Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and alumnus of Columbia University recently pulled his support from the school following an explosion of antisemitic protests in which some students called for barbarous acts of terrorism against Israelis and Jews. Last October, the Wexner Foundation ended its relationship with Harvard University after dozens of student groups there issued a statement rationalizing terrorism and blaming Israel for Hamas’ massacre on October 7th. In announcing the decision, the Wexner Foundation said, “We believed that at its core, [Harvard] was a school with moral purpose, matching the core values we embrace in our own work.”
Philanthropy is a serious financial commitment, one which must reflect our values. We give to our churches, our favorite charities, as well as friends who are down on their luck. It’s an act that is similar to keeping a garden. What we want to grow is watered and nurtured until its roots branch beneath the soil and become self-sustaining; what we don’t want to grow is pulled out of the ground by its roots and tossed away.
By all appearances, modern higher education is a garden teeming with weeds. Extremism, conformity, and anti-Americanism are the weeds that crowd out good ideas and harm students. We must remove these weeds so that our universities can be valued and respected again by the American public and the world.
The True Role of Philanthropy for Colleges
By Larissa Reece – Senior Consultant, Ashley|Rountree & Associates
Philanthropy is not a requirement and no donor, whether alum or not, can be forced to give. As donors take time to digest the recent turmoil on college campuses, I encourage them to do what all thoughtful donors should: Have a conversation with the institution you support. Reach out to the Advancement team, call the dean or professor you know, or talk with the President or Provost if you prefer. If the college you support has a student newspaper, read those articles to see if students are reflecting broader and diverse views.
The current discussions occurring in newspapers, podcasts, social media, and news programs signify that Americans are engaged. Their voices are clearly having a significant impact as college presidents continue to be interviewed in public Congressional hearings about campus protests. Right now, the high-profile donors at the Ivy Leagues are making the headlines by announcing that they will stop giving, and others will likely follow suit. In fact, donations tend to decline during most college crises, regardless of whether it’s about student protests, athletic scandals, or unethical administrators.
Philanthropy Uplifts Those Who Need Help
Philanthropy is significant for colleges. In 2023, $58 billion was donated across the sector of Higher Education. These donations provide funding for scholarships, professors, student activities, and research. American philanthropy uniquely shapes and changes our institutions, but the true role of American philanthropy is to uplift those who need help.
However, the public perception of the benefits of higher education has been declining steadily since 2017. Certainly, for the last six months several major donors have voiced their complaints loudly amid the disruption on college campuses. A lack of donor confidence likely played a role in the dismissal of three high-profile Presidents.
If donors “turn off the spigot” and remove their funding, what will be the pathway for higher education for middle-class and poor students? What will you do to help build a functional system that provides all that society needs? One example some of these donors might choose to follow is the Thompsons at Bowling Green College. They have given over $120 million in scholarships to students from working-class families. The students are only required to meet certain academic and community service goals set by the Thompsons to maintain the funding. The Thompsons give the funds outright—none of their gifts are placed in an endowment fund.
Your Donations Are Needed in American Higher Education
A college education is far more than just helping students land highly compensated jobs. Higher education creates the research and expertise that cures disease, builds businesses, and develops teachers, pastors, engineers, and educated citizens across the spectrum. The true question these donors must ask is: How can you use your money to help better educate our citizens?
Education Reform Needs to Happen Now, Not Later
By Dion J. Pierre – Campus Correspondent, The Algemeiner Journal
Ms. Reece’s argument is compassionate but misses the point. Middle-class and underclass students already believe that higher education is a money bonfire and a racket for America’s least-talented scholars. It’s a con that ostensibly intelligent people buy into, only to wind up in debt for life.
According to the Pew Research Center, college enrollment has been declining for several years, a trend “not driven by a drop in the overall number of 18—24-year-old high school graduates.” The truth, which is unpalatable to a generation that remembers higher education as an engine of upward mobility, is that talented people do not need the academy we have today. In the case of elite colleges, it has been proven time and time again that politics—specifically the politics of racial grievance and resentment—always trumps merit.
My Personal Experience
I know what it means to look for and find a true liberal education rooted in the classic works of philosophy, history, and literature without the guidance of our ‘enlightened’ professors. My mother was 17 when I was born. My biological father currently lives in parts unknown. I am a Black American whose family immigrated to the U.S. in the 60s and 70s from the West Indies. When my professors assigned Karl Marx for reading, I read Adam Smith and Aristotle instead. When they extolled Huey Newton, I sought refuge in the memoirs of Frederick Douglass. When they quoted Lenin, I turned to Hamilton, Madison, and Jay. And before that, when I was asked to check the “Black box,” I selected “other.” My professors didn’t help me find work after graduation, and I turned out okay.
I say “turn off the spigot” because there are millions more who can, and will, find alternative ways of cultivating their talents if higher education ever reaches the point at which it cannot sustain itself. I agree, however, that such a convulsive transformation of our education system would be pernicious. Avoiding that predicament requires reform—now, not later.
Fund the Change You Want to See in the World
By Larissa Reece – Senior Consultant, Ashley|Rountree & Associates
Mr. Pierre is opposed to donors providing more money to higher education because he believes it to be a “racket for America’s least-talented scholars” and a racist, sexist, and bigoted environment. However, his personal education journey highlights why college education can change lives. Mr. Pierre was smart enough to evaluate what his professors provided, and he made his own decision. His story about going from a working-class family to an educated professional mirrors my own story. I was the youngest of five in a working-class family and was the first in my family to get a college degree. My education allowed me to have a rewarding and well-compensated job. Should we decline others the same advantage that our education gave us?
The Pew Research study Mr. Pierre quotes lists the reasons young adults choose not to attend college: either they did not want to attend, or they had a job that did not require a college degree. However, an equal number of students stated that they couldn’t afford to attend college. The research suggests that scholarships for these students, funded by donors, would make a difference. Donors have a significant opportunity to reinvigorate open academic discourse by funding it.
Philanthropy Can Make a Difference
My alma mater, the University of Louisville, is home to the McConnell Center named for our senior statesman, Senator Mitch McConnell. This center hosts a variety of civil debates and discussions, bringing in world-renowned speakers for its students to learn different viewpoints. Donor funding is what allows this center to operate. If Mr. Pierre believes that today’s college graduates are incapable of speaking and writing, I suggest he get involved.
Donors and volunteer leaders who simply walk away will lose their ability to change higher education. If you have concerns about the quality of education and student debt, it is time to join those who are fighting for quality higher education. If the college you donated to no longer provides the type of education you believe is appropriate, seek out other institutions instead. Worried about antisemitism on campuses? Fund an orthodox Jewish College or Jewish studies. Tired of the culture wars? Fund a conservative Christian College. Interested in ensuring college is affordable? Fund scholarships or public and community colleges where most first-generation and lower-income students attend.
Higher education is a diverse and large sector. If upset donors who have historically given only to elite colleges simply stop giving, it will have a limited impact. However, if they instead decide to move their money and time to other institutions, it could have a significant positive impact, especially for first-generation and low-income students. Philanthropy such as this would also send a message to the institutions that they believe have abandoned their core beliefs, which is exactly what Mr. Pierre wants.
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Dion J. Pierre
Campus Correspondent
at
The Algemeiner Journal
Dion J. Pierre is the Campus Correspondent for The Algemeiner, a Jewish newspaper based in New York City. He previously worked at the National Association of Scholars and is the author of “Neo-Segregation at Yale,” which was cited in Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ concurring opinion in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.
Larissa Reece
Larissa Reece is a senior consultant with Ashley|Rountree & Associates and has over twenty years of experience as a leader in the fundraising industry with a special focus in consulting with various Higher Education clients. Prior to consulting she held senior leadership roles serving as a Vice President for Development and Alumni.
She began her career in higher education as an adjunct college instructor and as an admissions representative. Larissa holds a Masters in Higher Education Administration and a Bachelor’s degree in English. Larissa has been an active and contributing member of the AAMC Group on Institutional Development, the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education, and the Johns Hopkins Philanthropy Institute.
