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.
January 29th, 2019 at 1:42PM
does giving the money back serve any good end?
January 29th, 2019 at 2:53PM
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.
January 30th, 2019 at 6:56PM
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.
January 30th, 2019 at 8:24PM
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.
February 2nd, 2019 at 12:42PM
Does “Major Barbara” keep coming back or did she never go away?
February 2nd, 2019 at 5:12PM
Ravi: She never went away. But what a great play – thank you for reminding me about it.
February 2nd, 2019 at 10:09PM
My pleasure. I am a newcomer to your blog and am enjoying going through many years of posts.