Bill Ackman demands Harvard fire ex-Obama official Penny Pritzker from governing board: Time for a change in leadership

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman is again taking aim at Harvard University — this time demanding the removal of Penny Pritzker, a former Obama official and leading Democratic donor, from the school’s top leadership over its handling of a high-stakes conflict with President Donald Trump.Ackman, a Harvard College and Harvard Business School alumnus who went on to found the hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management, told CNBC on Monday the university should have negotiated with the Trump administration rather than filing a lawsuit over its threatened loss of federal funding.He specifically blamed Pritzker, who is currently senior fellow at Harvard Corporation, calling her stewardship of the university’s finances and broader mission a failure.“The mismanagement here is Penny Pritzker,” Ackman said.“It’s time for a change in leadership in the board at Harvard.”Harvard sued the federal government last month, accusing it of unlawfully suspending more than $2 billion in funding after the university declined to comply with a series of demands that the Trump administration says were aimed at curbing antisemitism on campus.The lawsuit argued that the government’s requests — related to diversity initiatives, faculty hiring, student discipline, and governance structures — were unconstitutional and amounted to political interference in academic freedom.Ackman, however, suggested Harvard’s response was combative and counterproductive.“They should have acknowledged that Trump made some good points,” he said.

“And looked to strike a deal with the president.”Ackman said it would be “fair” for Harvard to lose its tax-exempt status, citing the university’s perceived political bias.“Harvard became, over time, a political advocacy organization for one party,” he said.

“When a university goes from being a university to becoming a political advocacy organization, it doesn’t deserve nonprofit status.”Despite that criticism, Ackman added,...