The New York Times was more subtle but funnier, running a teaser on its front page titled "Penny's end near". The story to which it referred was ostensibly about retiring the one cent coin, but it did mention Pritzker.
In a time in which Democrats are asking whether the party lost the 2024 election by waiting too long to oust President Biden, Harvard affiliates are wondering whether we might lose the university by waiting too long to oust Pritzker.
I agree that it's a bad look for Harvard to become the off-season home of Democratic pols. That's why the Gov Dept, which consists of serious scholars, generally regards HKS as an embarrassment. However, the HKS has different, laxer rules about returning to the faculty after public service. The FAS's 2-year rule is still being enforced as far as I know.
The scenario raised by Ira Stoll that "Harvard ousts Penny Pritzker" does seem to be in the air.
The Boston Globe ran a story about how Pritzker has a conflict of interest in dealing with President Trump: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/05/22/business/penny-pritzker-harvard-trump-resistance/
The New York Times was more subtle but funnier, running a teaser on its front page titled "Penny's end near". The story to which it referred was ostensibly about retiring the one cent coin, but it did mention Pritzker.
In a time in which Democrats are asking whether the party lost the 2024 election by waiting too long to oust President Biden, Harvard affiliates are wondering whether we might lose the university by waiting too long to oust Pritzker.
Harvard can learn something from the late great Canadian musician Gordon Lightfoot. It is not just the line "Be careful while bending the law":
https://gordonlightfoot.com/Lyrics/TheHouseYouLiveIn.txt
The House You Live In, ©1976 by Gordon Lightfoot
Go first in the world, go forth with your fears
Remember a price must be paid
Be always too soon, be never too fast
At the time when all bets must be laid
Beware of the darkness, be kind to your children
Remember the woman who waits
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your gate
When you're caught by the gale and you're full under sail
Beware of the dangers below
And the song that you sing should not be too sad
And be sure not to sing it too slow
Be calm in the face of all common disgraces
And know what they're doing it for
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your door
When you're out on the road and feeling quite lost
Consider the burden of fame
And he who is wise will not criticize
When other men fail at the game
Beware of strange faces and dark dingy places
Be careful while bending the law
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your door
When you're down in the dumps and not ready to deal
Decide what it is that you need
Is it money or love, is it learning to live
Or is it the mouth you must feed
Be known as a man who will always be candid
On questions that do not relate
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your gate
And the house you live in will never fall down
If you pity the stranger who stands at your gate
this is a very apt set of lyrics. I must say, my own mood toward Pritzker and the Harvard leadership is more along the line of:
Once upon a time you dressed so fine
Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People call, say "Beware, doll, you're bound to fall"
You thought they were all a-kiddin' you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hangin' out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging your next meal
How does it feel?
How does it feel
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown
Like a rolling stone
Apt, but when you hear people at Harvard denouncing Bill Ackman as a billionaire, remember that Penny Pritzker is also a billionaire.
I agree that it's a bad look for Harvard to become the off-season home of Democratic pols. That's why the Gov Dept, which consists of serious scholars, generally regards HKS as an embarrassment. However, the HKS has different, laxer rules about returning to the faculty after public service. The FAS's 2-year rule is still being enforced as far as I know.