A Yale Law School dean, known for her ‘Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’ fervor and a tumultuous history of free-speech and anti-Semitism controversies may be the university’s next president.
Heather Gerken, the current dean of Yale Law School, is now in the running to succeed Peter Salovey, five insiders told the Free Beacon.
Gerken is already causing a stir in the high-stakes race with her track record that includes shaming a conservative student via email, letting ‘woke’ students cancel a speaker and hiring a trainer who claimed anti-Semitic hate crimes are exaggerated.
Her relationships with wealthy alumni may also be boosting her candidacy, one source revealed to the outlet.
Additionally, in response to concerns from Jewish students following Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre, Gerken had her secretary direct them to counseling services instead of addressing anti-Semitism concerns.
Heather Gerken, the current dean of Yale Law School, is now in the running to succeed Peter Salovey, five insiders told the Free Beacon
Gerken was in the spotlight in 2021 when the law school threatened a Native-American student called Trent Colbert (pictured) over an email – pressuring him into apologizing for sending a party invite that described the location as a ‘trap house’
‘I understand these are deeply challenging times,’ Gerken’s chief of staff, Debra Kroszner, wrote in an email to Jewish students who had been personally targeted by students who were endorsing terrorism and blaming Israel for Hamas’s actions.
Gerken was in the spotlight in 2021 when the law school threatened a Native-American student called Trent Colbert over an email – pressuring him into apologizing for sending a party invite that described the location as a ‘trap house.’
Colbert was accused of using a word with racial connotations, but the Native American student insisted his email had no such aims.
He recorded himself being pressured into apologizing by associate dean Ellen Cosgrove and diversity director Yaseen Eldik, who even prepared a written letter for him to sign.
‘I was told that things might ‘escalate’ if I failed to apologize. I was told that an apology would be more likely to make the situation ‘go away,’ and it was implied that there would be lingering impacts to my reputation because the ‘legal community is a small one,’ Colbert wrote in a blog at the time.
‘The subtext behind the meetings that followed became increasingly clear: Apologize or risk the consequences. They even went so far as to draft an apology for me directed to the Black Law Students Association, which I declined to use.’
Colbert was also accused of ‘triggering’ students by being a member of the conservative-leaning Federalist Society.
This lead to intense scrutiny and rumors of her potential removal from her position as dean – but Gerken survived and now appears to be destined for a promotion.
Yale’s director of diversity and inclusion Yaseen Eldik encouraged the student to apologize
The above invite triggered some recipients, who said it contained racially insensitive language
Gerken also faced criticism for not taking action against students who violated free speech policies by shouting down conservative speaker Kristen Waggoner.
The incident involved Yale Law students disrupting a free speech event, where conservative speakers were threatened and a riot ensued.
Gerken was condemned for not imposing consequences on the students involved, setting what some referred to a ‘terrible precedent.’
Gerken also had a bizarre public clash with outspoken Professor Amy Chua, before stripping her of her teaching post after she had been acused of hosting a dinner party during the pandemic.
She then allegedly pressured two students to provide false testimony resulting in settlements of undisclosed amounts.
In another controversial move, Gerken hired diversity trainer Ericka Hart, who has argued that the FBI intentionally inflates anti-Semitic hate crime numbers.
This decision was part of the law school’s broader efforts to integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs into every aspect of education.
Despite these controversies, Gerken is on the radar of Yale’s presidential search committee, according to the Beacon.
It’s unclear how many candidates are under consideration, some sources describe Gerken as a frontrunner, according to the outlet.
Two faculty members told the Free Beacon that Gerken is being considered based on second hand knowledge of the ‘search process.’
The aftermath of scandals involving other Ivy League presidents losing their jobs due to mishandling anti-Semitism adds to the issue of the selection process (Pictured: Former Harvard president Claudine Gay)
Her relationships with wealthy alumni may be boosting her candidacy, one student said to the outlet, emphasizing the role of fundraising in the selection process.
Wealthy alumni she is allegedly connected to in particular include chairman of the Alibaba Group Joseph Tsai and Blackstone chief financial officer Michael Chae, who are reportedly helping her running.
‘The donors are part of why the school is taking her seriously,’ the source said to the Free Beacon.
However, Gerken’s prioritization of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, depicted by her commitment to anti-racism and controversial decisions in handling campus issues, may cause challenges for her especially in the wake of intense scrutiny on university leaders.
The aftermath of scandals involving other Ivy League presidents losing their jobs due to mishandling anti-Semitism adds to the issue of the selection process.
While Gerken’s bid for Yale University’s presidency is marked by a controversial track record, raising questions about her suitability for the role – the decision ultimately rests with the Yale Corporation, the university’s governing body, which will select Salovey’s successor.
Two months after the death of George Floyd in 2020, Gerken also reportedly issued a school-wide email titled ‘Yale Law School’s Commitment to Anti-Racism.’
In the message, she pointed out the efforts of ‘colleagues of color,’ particularly black colleagues, in combating racism and racial oppression.
The email outlined several initiatives, including the establishment of new centers focusing on ‘health equity’ and ‘environmental justice,’ the appointment of a diversity specialist to every office in the law school, and a commitment to bring a million books to prisons across the country.
Gerken also faced criticism for not taking action against students who violated free speech policies by shouting down conservative speaker Kristen Waggoner
The students screamed profanities at Waggoner, including one who threatened they would ‘literally fight you, b***h’
The protesters berated the speaker, chanting ‘protect trans kids’ and ‘shame, shame’ throughout the law school building after police officers escorted her and Miller out of the building
It also promised an annual course on critical race theory and pledged to ‘diversify the iconography of the Law School through portraits, photographs, and art.’
She additionally had refused to display a painting of Supreme Court justice Clarence Thomas, a prominent Black alumnus of the law school, since its donation to Yale in 2019.
However, a portrait of Justice Sonia Sotomayor is reportedly displayed in the law school’s largest classroom.
‘We recognize that our colleagues of color, particularly our Black colleagues, have long done more than their share of the unrecognized work of citizenship in combating racism and racial oppression,’ Gerken wrote to the school in 2021.
The email, which was first reported by the Free Beacon, also allegedly said that students would be discouraged from calling the police.
‘The Law School will train our community not to call for [Yale Police Department] assistance on campus for non-law enforcement related matters,’ Gerken wrote. ‘The Yale Police Department has agreed to work with the Law School on a plan to redirect calls from the Law School to non-police forms of assistance whenever possible.’