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You don't even have to look as far as Saudi Arabia to raise similar questions. The Koch brothers are MIT graduates and huge donors. For a similar discussion of

by jzl 9y ago

You don't even have to look as far as Saudi Arabia to raise similar questions. The Koch brothers are MIT graduates and huge donors. For a similar discussion of the ethics of MIT's acceptance of their money, see: https://www.quora.com/How-could-MIT-have-received-a-grant-for-the-David-H-Koch-Institute-for-Integrative-Cancer-Research-read-details https://www.quora.com/How-could-MIT-have-received-a-grant-fo...

jadedhacker 9y ago
I remember being shocked at walking down Kendall and seeing the cancer research building named the "Koch Institute". I'm glad the Kochs are doing things with their money other than attempting to overthrow democratic government and burn the world but my feeling is that MIT shouldn't help immunize them to criticism by burnishing their reputation.
- erikpukinskis 9y ago
  “Greenwashing”. It’s a big business for non-profits.
mhneu 9y ago
Agreed that MIT should be careful taking money from big donors with obvious agendas. When the Koches put money into universities, it typically has strings attached - they get some say in hiring faculty that align with their agenda, for example. Here's more discussion of the Koch strategy to put money into universities, including MIT, in an effort to buy ideological support for their political goals (which are to destroy government to cut billionaires' taxes.) http://www.unkochmycampus.org/ http://www.unkochmycampus.org/ From Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2018/01/30/daily-202-koch-network-laying-groundwork-to-fundamentally-transform-america-s-education-system/5a6feb8530fb041c3c7d74db/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-2... From the Chronicle of Higher Ed: https://apicciano.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2017/12/21/the-chronicle-of-higher-education-examines-the-charles-koch-foundation/ https://apicciano.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2017/12/21/the-chronic...

by jzl 9y ago

jadedhacker 9y ago

I remember being shocked at walking down Kendall and seeing the cancer research building named the "Koch Institute". I'm glad the Kochs are doing things with their money other than attempting to overthrow democratic government and burn the world but my feeling is that MIT shouldn't help immunize them to criticism by burnishing their reputation.

erikpukinskis 9y ago
“Greenwashing”. It’s a big business for non-profits.

mhneu 9y ago

Agreed that MIT should be careful taking money from big donors with obvious agendas. When the Koches put money into universities, it typically has strings attached - they get some say in hiring faculty that align with their agenda, for example. Here's more discussion of the Koch strategy to put money into universities, including MIT, in an effort to buy ideological support for their political goals (which are to destroy government to cut billionaires' taxes.) http://www.unkochmycampus.org/ http://www.unkochmycampus.org/ From Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-202/2018/01/30/daily-202-koch-network-laying-groundwork-to-fundamentally-transform-america-s-education-system/5a6feb8530fb041c3c7d74db/ https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/paloma/daily-2... From the Chronicle of Higher Ed: https://apicciano.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2017/12/21/the-chronicle-of-higher-education-examines-the-charles-koch-foundation/ https://apicciano.commons.gc.cuny.edu/2017/12/21/the-chronic...