Bill Ackman's Harvard Board Nominees Fall Short

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman's efforts to place four candidates on the ballot for Harvard University’s board of overseers, in response to criticism of Harvard's handling of antisemitism, fell short. Ackman, along with Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, endorsed candidates who did not collect enough signatures to qualify for the election. Antisemitism on university campuses spiked following Hamas's October 7 massacre in Israel, and the controversy led to the resignation of Harvard President Claudine Gay. The candidates, who focused on upholding free speech and academic rigor, failed to secure the necessary votes. The board election is set for April, with eight Harvard Alumni Association-nominated candidates running for five open seats.