In a recent article for Inside Higher Ed, Josh Moody asks: What do universities owe their donors? Moody discusses the current situation at US universities, including Columbia University and Harvard University, where megadonors are expressing displeasure with the institutional responses to the Israel-Hamas war. “Massive donations often come with expectations to match,” Moody writes, “But donor-relations experts suggest that such expectations are neither realistic nor appropriate.” While recent years have seen a greater reliance on donor funds and more outspoken public pushback from donors, philanthropy experts explain that donors are not entitled to and often have the incorrect expertise for influencing institutional policy or decision making. Moody concludes by noting how the war in Gaza has become “a perfect storm” for donor relations.
