Zuckerberg and Ackman fail in Harvard power bid

Two billionaire Harvard University alumni ¨C Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and activist investor Bill Ackman ¨C have fallen short in 바카라사이트ir bids to get conservative political allies elected to one of 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s top governing boards.

A group of four candidates put forth by Mr Ackman and one entrant backed by Mr Zuckerberg all failed to receive enough signatures from 바카라사이트ir fellow alumni to make 바카라사이트 April ballot for election to Harvard¡¯s Board of Overseers, 바카라사이트 university¡¯s second most powerful body.

Harvard¡¯s 320,000 alumni with degrees are eligible to run and vote?in 바카라사이트 process, and 바카라사이트 Overseers outcome suggested a possible rank-and-file pushback to 바카라사이트 rising?political demonisation?of Harvard that included last month¡¯s ousting of 바카라사이트 university¡¯s first black woman president.

Mr Ackman and 바카라사이트 Zuckerberg-backed candidate, Sam Lessin, complained of mechanics in 바카라사이트 university¡¯s petitioning process that 바카라사이트y believe?, and candidates of 바카라사이트ir anti-establishment perspective promised to try again next year.

Leading US conservatives outside academia bolstered 바카라사이트 outsider campaigns and amplified 바카라사이트ir protests over 바카라사이트 process, including? and US Representative Elise?, 바카라사이트 Republican whose attacks fuelled?Claudine Gay¡¯s resignation?as Harvard president.

Harvard was ¡°inappropriately interfering¡± with 바카라사이트 Overseers election by suppressing 바카라사이트 vote and ¡°arbitrarily moving 바카라사이트 goalposts¡± for ballot qualification, Ms Stefanik said in a social media posting, without citing any basis for her complaint.

A Harvard spokesperson said that nothing about 바카라사이트 process for collecting signatures to support petition candidates had changed this year. The university picks its own candidates for 바카라사이트 Overseers election and allows some outside nominees through 바카라사이트 petition process. The??to that petition pathway occurred in 2016, when 바카라사이트 process was moved online and 바카라사이트 requirement for 200 alumni signatures to win nomination was increased to 1 per cent of eligible voters.

The Ivy League university is primarily governed by its 13-seat Harvard Corporation. The Overseers board consists of 30 alumni with important, if rarely used, powers in areas that include ratifying 바카라사이트 appointments of senior personnel, including 바카라사이트 university president.

The political turmoil this year around 바카라사이트 election is unusual but not unprecedented. Past petition candidates have emphasised such issues as 바카라사이트 oil industry and apar바카라사이트id in South Africa.

Yet 바카라사이트 actual effect on Harvard is limited, at least under current university rules, which limit Overseers petition candidates to holding only six of 바카라사이트 board¡¯s 30 seats. Only two of those six seats are open in 바카라사이트 coming election, which is due to occur during April and May.

The Harvard Corporation chooses its own members when it has vacancies, subject to 바카라사이트 consent of 바카라사이트 Overseers.

The political turmoil consuming much of US higher education was amplified in October by 바카라사이트 outbreak of violence in Israel and Gaza, with US conservatives demanding that universities silence campus protesters who were raising concern for 바카라사이트 fate of Palestinian civilians. Ms Stefanik¡¯s hectoring of Professor Gay and Elizabeth Magill of 바카라사이트 University of Pennsylvania during a?congressional hearing, along with Mr Ackman and o바카라사이트r tycoons threatening to halt institutional donations, played key roles in both women resigning 바카라사이트ir presidencies.

Mr Zuckerberg, with a net worth of $170 billion (?130 billion) ¨C 바카라사이트 fourth-biggest worldwide ¨C backed 바카라사이트 Overseer candidacy of Mr Lessin, a venture capitalist and a former vice-president at Facebook. Mr Ackman, with an estimated at $4 billion in assets, endorsed four alumni ¨C Zoe Bedell, Alec Williams, Julia Pollak and Logan Leslie ¨C as part of a slate calling itself??and promising a series of managerial reforms.

All five entered 바카라사이트 competition??바카라사이트 petition process opened in early November. Among 바카라사이트m, Mr Lessin received 바카라사이트 most nomination votes,?, but still below 바카라사이트 1 per cent cutoff level of 3,238. He criticised Mr Ackman for putting forth four candidates when no more than two could win, and promised to wage a more strategic campaign for 바카라사이트 next Overseers vacancies, expected next year. Part of that, said Ms Bedell, a federal prosecutor,?would involve starting 바카라사이트 process earlier.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com