The Education of a Value Investor: A Journey of Personal Discovery

The Education of a Value Investor: A Journey of Personal Discovery

In today's society, the role and responsibilities of universities have come under scrutiny. Recent events have shed light on the inaction of university presidents when it comes to addressing issues of anti-Semitism on their campuses. Claudine Gay of Harvard, Sally Kornbluth of MIT, and Liz McGill of the University of Pennsylvania have been dubbed the "three blind mice" for their failure to take appropriate action.

These university presidents, who claim to be enlightened and progressive, have shown their true colors through their lack of action. Despite their supposed commitment to inclusivity and equality, they have allowed anti-Semitism to fester on their campuses. This failure has done significant damage to higher education, tarnishing the reputation of these institutions.

What is particularly striking is that these university presidents have been quick to punish any language or expression that they consider incorrect or offensive. They have revoked admissions, suspended students, and relieved faculty from teaching for any perceived transgressions. Yet, when it comes to addressing anti-Semitism, they have been silent.

Their hypocrisy is evident in their defense of their censorship. They argue that as private institutions, they have the right to set their own codes of behavior. However, the issue is not about "free speech" but rather the equal application of rules and laws. These presidents adhere to systemic prejudice, where free speech and rules of behavior are predicated on ideology, race, and ethnicity.

Moreover, these university presidents have cloaked their reactionaryism in progressive platitudes. They claim to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion, yet they turn a blind eye to the calls for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. In their twisted worldview, Jews as whites are on the wrong side of their victim/victimizer DEI binary and are therefore subject to anti-Semitism.

What is most disheartening is that these university presidents were once top scholars, seasoned faculty, and experienced deans and provosts. They were supposed to be the best and brightest of academia. However, their recent testimonies have revealed their intellectual shortcomings and moral deficiencies. They were easily eviscerated by Republican congressional representatives who lacked their academic credentials but possessed intelligence, logic, street smarts, and common sense acquired from non-academic experiences.

This raises the question of whether academics should be involved in governance at all. History has shown that professors often make poor presidents. Woodrow Wilson and Barack Obama, both former professors, proved to be ineffective and, in some cases, dangerous leaders. Perhaps it is time to keep academics at a distance from positions of power and influence.

The only reason these university presidents showed any remorse or attempted to reset their image was due to the fear of financial consequences. They were afraid that their inaction would lead to a drop in donations. This fear highlights the power that we, the people, have over even elite universities. We can hold them accountable and demand change.

If we want to truly reform higher education, we must consider conditioning government subsidies on non-discriminatory policies, reevaluating tax-exemptions for university giving, taxing endowment income until higher education becomes disinterested and non-partisan, and removing the government from the student loan racket. These actions would help address issues of tuition inflation, administrative bloat, and the stagnation of youth development.

In conclusion, the recent events involving the three blind mice university presidents have shed light on the failures of higher education. It is clear that these institutions prioritize ideology over the well-being and safety of their students. However, we, the people, have the power to bring about change. By holding universities accountable and demanding non-discriminatory policies, we can ensure that higher education remains a place of learning and growth for all.