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Oh, and if Yale returns the Sackler money…!

Corey O’Hern, director of Undergraduate Programs for the Sackler Institute and a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science, emphasized the importance of the Institute in fostering collaboration between departments at Yale. According to O’Hern, there is a lack of grants supporting such research on the national level. “The funding, independent where it’s from, has been crucial to developing this interdisciplinary research and training,” said O’Hern. “The thought of it going away is scary, stressful and sad.”

Corey? Do you know what Yale’s currently hoarding in its endowment? Do you know that your university sits on thirty billion dollars? If you don’t realize that Yale doesn’t need Sackler money, I find that scary, stressful and sad. Just ask Andrew Kolodny:

Despite benefits from the Sackler Institute, Kolodny maintained that Yale has a moral impetus to rename the program. “Yale University, if they are taking money from the Sacklers, they are taking blood money,” Kolodny argued. “That money came from the marketing of the Sackler family’s activities which led to millions of people becoming addicted and thousands of people dying.”

“I think Yale University can afford to give the Sacklers back their money,” he added.

Margaret Soltan, January 29, 2019 10:39AM
Posted in: just plain gross

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7 Responses to “Oh, and if Yale returns the Sackler money…!”

  1. [email protected] Says:

    does giving the money back serve any good end?

  2. Margaret Soltan Says:

    John: Yes – it serves a reputational end. Even if you could show that every Sackler dollar is being put to terrific use at Yale, having the money damages the school’s integrity. I take the point that almost all big money is unsavory – but what the Sackers did, and continue to do, goes way past that to degenerate and criminal.

  3. john Says:

    what the sacklers and purdue did is, indeed, despicable and criminal. i can’t see why we treat them differently than el chapo.

    that anything would remain named in their “honor” is beyond comprehension. if unwinding that requires giving back the money, i’d encourage yale to do so. if not, i’d rather it go to good use than back in their hands.

    for better or worse, it takes “big” money, whether public or private, to do “big” things. i want diseases cured, great art sponsored and preserved, etc.

  4. Margaret Soltan Says:

    John: You’re right that there’s a complicated moral question here. Why not keep it and use it for good? But I would continue to argue that some money – truly despicable money – needs to be gotten rid of in order for your organization to have anything approaching clean hands.

  5. Ravi Narasimhan Says:

    Does “Major Barbara” keep coming back or did she never go away?

  6. Margaret Soltan Says:

    Ravi: She never went away. But what a great play – thank you for reminding me about it.

  7. Ravi Narasimhan Says:

    My pleasure. I am a newcomer to your blog and am enjoying going through many years of posts.

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