Lauder Business School in Austria severs ties with Harvard University over antisemitism concerns

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Lauder Business School in Austria has severed ties with Harvard University over antisemitism concerns.

The European business school was founded by billionaire Ronald S. Lauder, heir to the Estée Lauder cosmetics company.

“Since 2014, Lauder Business School has been a proud affiliate of Professor Michael Porter’s Microeconomics of Competitiveness Network at Harvard University,” the school said in a statement. “Lauder Business School has withdrawn from this network and expresses solidarity with the Jewish student community at Harvard University in light of recent events.”

“Our institution is forming new partnerships that are more closely aligned with our core values and standards,” the Lauder school statement said.

Harvard University declined comment on Wednesday.

Harvard is among colleges and universities now under federal investigation for its response to incidents of antisemitism on campus. The Department of Education is looking into whether Harvard failed to respond to reports of harassment against Jewish and Israeli students following the Hamas attacks in Israel on Oct. 7.

Earlier this month, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik announced an investigation into Harvard, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania following a controversial congressional hearing on antisemitism.

Harvard has drawn harsh criticism from congressional leaders and others, including Congressmen Seth Moulton and Jake Auchincloss, who are both Harvard alumni, for growing antisemitism on its campus following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

In the days following those attacks, Moulton blasted Harvard in a statement.

“I cannot recall a moment when I’ve been more embarrassed by my alma mater,” Moulton said in a statement at the time.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, the country has seen a 337% increase in antisemitic hate crimes nationwide since the Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians on Oct. 7.

Between Oct. 7 and Dec. 7, the Anti-Defamation League said it recorded a total of 2,031 antisemitic incidents, up from 465 incidents during the same period in 2022. This includes 40 incidents of physical assault, 337 incidents of vandalism, 749 incidents of verbal or written harassment and 905 rallies including antisemitic rhetoric, expressions of support for terrorism against the state of Israel and/or anti-Zionism.

“This terrifying pattern of antisemitic attacks has been relentless since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, with no signs of diminishing,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement earlier this month. “The lid to the sewers is off, and Jewish communities all across the country are being inundated with hate. Public officials and college leaders must turn down the temperature and take clear action to show this behavior is unacceptable to prevent more violence.”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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