Harvard dropout and Facebook founder mark Zuckerberg backs insurgent for university role

A Harvard College graduate trying to win a seat on a prestigious alumni council won backing from one of the school’s most famous dropouts: Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Sam Lessin, a venture capitalist who once worked at Zuckerberg’s social media giant, began campaigning last month for the Board of Overseers — a group that counsels university leadership on plans, priorities and strategic initiatives. Lessin said Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, would join him on a Zoom call Friday to discuss his effort to get on the overseers ballot as a write-in candidate. 

“In light of the evolving situation on Harvard’s campus and the administration’s abysmal response, I want to join the Harvard Board of Overseers to help Harvard move forward,” Lessin wrote on LinkedIn.

Chan and Zuckerberg are some of the biggest donors in Harvard’s history. The couple’s philanthropy pledged $500 million to Harvard in 2021 to found an artificial intelligence institute. Zuckerberg has a net worth of about $141 billion, making him the world’s fifth-richest person, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.  

Harvard has been reeling from allegations of rising antisemitism on campus in the wake of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The uproar has spurred a government investigation and two congressional probes while also prompting alumni and major donors to pause contributions. Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, a Harvard graduate, is backing another slate of candidates who want to be on the overseers ballot. 

The controversy has hardly abated since the resignation earlier this month of President Claudine Gay, who drew criticism for her response to antisemitism at Harvard and was also under pressure from accusations of plagiarism. In addition, alumni and donors have been critical of Harvard Corp., the school’s highest governing board, which is led by Penny Pritzker, a former US commerce secretary.

Zuckerberg dropped out of Harvard to start Facebook, whose parent company is now known as Meta Platforms Inc. Chan graduated in 2007, according to her LinkedIn profile. 

Lessin, who graduated from Harvard in 2005, said he was running “to help address glaring leadership failures.” Write-in candidates need to get more than 3,000 signatures by the end of January to be included on the spring ballot. 

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