The philanthropist and billionaire Mortimer Zuckerman cut off millions of dollars in funding to Columbia University citing the school's fail
by Jessica Costescu
The philanthropist and billionaire Mortimer Zuckerman cut off millions of dollars in funding to Columbia University citing the school's failure to address rising anti-Semitism, the Washington Free Beacon has learned. Zuckerman pledged $200 million in 2012 to endow an institute focused on interdisciplinary neuroscience research. But the billionaire owner of U.S. News & World Report began questioning Columbia's handling of rampant campus anti-Semitism following Hamas's Oct. 7 attacks on Israel and ultimately halted funding after several months of discussions, according to a Zuckerman Family Office spokeswoman.FreeBeacon
"The recent decisions and actions taken by Columbia have been antithetical to the University's mission and it is simply not the same institution it was when Mr. Zuckerman made the pledge," the spokeswoman told the Free Beacon. "We will continue to evaluate the situation in the hope that Columbia will restore its reputation, standing and mission as a respected educational institution."
Zuckerman founded Boston Properties, a real estate investment trust, and ran it for nearly 50 years before stepping down as chairman in 2016. In addition to U.S. News & World Report, where he serves as editor in chief and publisher, Zuckerman also owned the New York Daily News for 24 years until he sold it in 2017.
The son of Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, Zuckerman has consistently donated to a variety of Jewish and pro-Israel causes. In 2016, for example, he launched a $100 million STEM initiative to provide scholarships for American and Israeli researchers, with the goal of fostering scientific collaboration between the United States and Israel.
For months, Zuckerman engaged in conversations with Columbia, raising concerns about the school's governance and handling of campus anti-Semitism following Oct. 7, the Zuckerman Family Office spokeswoman told the Free Beacon. Columbia, in response, requested time to "rebuild trust and demonstrate better governance."
But that rebuilding failed to take shape, prompting Zuckerman, a media and real estate mogul, to pause millions in funding. Columbia had become the forefront of campus anti-Semitism, with protesters eventually storming Hamilton Hall and barricading its entrance. In-person classes and the main graduation ceremony were canceled.
