In an email sent on Saturday, Jon Huntsman, former Utah Governor, expressed his disappointment over the University of Pennsylvania’s lack of response to Hamas’ attack on Israel. As a result, Huntsman has decided to stop making any donations to the university.
According to a report by the Daily Pennsylvanian, a student newspaper at the Ivy League institution, Penn, news about the email was initially disclosed. It was further reported that Jon Huntsman Jr. of Wharton had ceased donations.
In an email addressed to Penn President Liz Magill, former U.S. ambassador to Russia and China, Huntsman expressed his concern about the current state of the university. He stated that Penn has lost its way, becoming unrecognizable in many aspects.
In his statement, he expressed his disappointment with the University’s lack of condemnation towards the heinous and longstanding acts committed by Hamas against the people of Israel. He finds it concerning that the University has remained silent in the face of such atrocities.
In a statement, the Huntsman Foundation announced that it will no longer provide financial assistance to Penn. The decision was made due to recent events that have caused disappointment and disapproval among the Huntsman family. The foundation has been a proud supporter of the university for three generations, but it has now decided to close its checkbook on all future giving. Jon Huntsman Jr. and his siblings have joined in this rebuke.
In a statement released on Sunday, Magill expressed her condemnation towards Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel and their violent acts against innocent civilians. She also stated that the university shares her horror and stands in solidarity with those affected by the senseless violence.
According to a report by the Philadelphia Inquirer, several donors have pulled their support from the university due to its failure to address the incidents of antisemitism on campus.
According to sources, the recent surge in donations to the University of Pennsylvania may have been in response to the call made by Marc Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management and chair of the Board of Overseers at the Wharton School, urging donors to withhold their contributions until university officials, including Magill, resign. Rowan’s statements were made in an interview with CNBC and in an article published in The Free Press.
In 1987, Jon Huntsman graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, following in the footsteps of his father, the late Jon M. Huntsman Sr. The family has been known to make significant contributions to the school, including a $40 million donation to the Wharton School back in 1998, as reported by Deseret News.
After Huntsman announced his decision, many academics and well-known writers took to social media to express their support and admiration. The decision was met with a wave of positivity, with many commending Huntsman for his bravery and principled stance.
Nicholas Christakis, a former professor at Yale, expressed his views on the issue by stating, “It’s not just about criticizing Hamas. It’s also about the double standards of these prestigious institutions that have strayed from their real purpose, ultimately losing their credibility.” Christakis believes that these institutions have failed to uphold their mission and values, which has led to their downfall.
It’s not so much about condemning Hamas. It’s about the rank hypocrisy of these elite institutions, which have alienated themselves from their actual mission, losing all credibility in the process. https://t.co/9AXkoD3yQT
— Nicholas A. Christakis (@NAChristakis) October 15, 2023
Seth Mandel, the executive editor of Washington Examiner Magazine, expressed his approval by stating “Well done,” as seen in a tweet.
Jon Huntsman, in an email to @Penn President Liz Magill, says the “university’s silence in the face of reprehensible and historic Hamas evil against the people of Israel…is a new low.”
“Consequently, Huntsman Foundation will close its checkbook on all future giving to Penn.” pic.twitter.com/YiPIPVVWIW
— Steve McGuire (@sfmcguire79) October 15, 2023
