Dear friend, In an act of protest, a professor at Saint Louis University (SLU) has renounced his Endowed Chair in Economics. In a memo explaining his decision, Dr. David Rapach cites the university’s acceptance of a financial donation “rife with violations of well-established academic norm” as his reason for renoucing the John Simon Endowed Chair. The $50 million donation came from St. Lous billionaire Rex Sinquefield, a local political donor well known for funding campaigns to cut taxes and privatize public goods in Missouri. Saint Louis University’s decision to accept donor-influenced financial support from Rex Sinquefield is reflective of the ultra-wealthy’s strategy to use colleges and universities to build public support for their private legislative agenda-- an agenda that harms working families and public education. Show your support for Professor Rapach by signing our petition endorsing his courageous action! "I hope to send the message to students that principles are more important than the money and/or prestige that accompany particular titles. Based on my understanding of SLU's mission, I feel compelled to renounce the Simon Chair to be true to my principles and to protest what is happening at SLU." -Dr. Rapach’s March 9, 2020 Sinquefield's agenda includes pushing the repeal the progressive income tax system, thwarting efforts to secure fair wages for hard-working Missourians, and investing in legislation that weakens Missouri's public schools. The violations of academic norms in the donation allow Sinquefield to leverage SLU to promote his private interests and legislative agenda. Help us demand that colleges and universisties serve the common good, not private interest! | |
In solidarity, Samantha Parsons | |
UnKoch My Campus is a cooperative campaign dedicated to disrupting corporate influence on campuses nationwide by equipping campus activists with education, skills, and ecosystems of solidarity. The Koch network is leveraging its donations to colleges and universities to bolster its corporate agenda to halt action on climate change, put hundreds of thousands of people in prison, deny millions of people healthcare, and strip rights and wages from workers globally. We're building a mass movement of young people who are dedicated to disrupting this harm. | |
