By: Nick Carraway

Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman is once again turning up the heat on Harvard University — this time calling for the entire board of its governing body to step down. As reported by the New York Post, Ackman blasted the Harvard Corporation’s leadership, accusing them of overseeing the “collapse” of an institution once considered among the world’s most prestigious.

Ackman, a Harvard alumnus worth an estimated $9 billion, made his demands public on X (formerly Twitter), where he’s gained a large following for his outspoken takes on everything from markets to university politics. His latest criticism was sparked by an article suggesting that Harvard’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-driven hiring practices may be in violation of federal law.

In response, Ackman declared: “Chair Penny Pritzker and the entire Harvard Corporation Board need to resign. They are presiding over the destruction of this once-great institution.”

As the Post reports, this is not the first time Ackman has taken aim at the university. He’s been a vocal critic of what he sees as Harvard’s weak response to antisemitic incidents on campus — an issue that gained national attention following the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel.

Ackman has repeatedly accused Harvard’s administration of failing to adequately protect Jewish students. He was among the first to publicly call for the resignation of Claudine Gay, Harvard’s former president, following what he described as her “unacceptable silence” during widespread anti-Israel demonstrations on campus. Although Gay eventually stepped down in early 2024, it was officially due to unrelated plagiarism allegations. Still, Ackman and others have credited mounting public pressure over the antisemitism issue as the driving force behind her departure.

The Post notes that Ackman’s latest comments come amid escalating scrutiny from Washington. The Trump administration has opened investigations into Harvard over alleged failures to address antisemitism and recently moved to freeze federal grants to the school. President Trump has even floated the idea of stripping Harvard of its tax-exempt status, accusing the university of “radical left indoctrination.”

Ackman, who supported the funding freeze, said just last week that the university’s $53 billion endowment has been mismanaged and lacks accountability. Harvard has since filed a lawsuit against the federal government in an attempt to restore access to public funds, but the legal battle is likely to drag on.

As The Post points out, Ackman’s criticism also highlights the powerful network surrounding Harvard’s leadership. Board Chair Penny Pritzker, for instance, served as Commerce Secretary under President Obama and is the sister of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, a leading Democrat and vocal critic of Trump. Ackman has suggested that such political entanglements have shielded Harvard’s board from much-needed change.

Beyond the campus walls, Ackman continues to wield influence in other arenas. Earlier this week, he stepped down from the board of Universal Music Group, just days after threatening to pull the company’s Amsterdam stock listing in protest of antisemitic violence targeting Israeli soccer fans.

As The Post reports, Ackman has evolved into one of the most prominent voices against institutional antisemitism in the U.S., especially in elite academic circles. With over 1.7 million followers on X, his message is reaching both Wall Street and college campuses alike.

In his own words: “Only new leadership can fix this mess.” For now, Ackman shows no signs of backing down.