Endowment funds are now flash points at elite universities
Protesters at elite universities such as Harvard, Yale, UC Berkeley and Columbia have turned their focus onto the multi-billion dollar investment vehicles at each college, demanding that the funds cut investments tied to Israel and weapons in Gaza, according to reports from Bloomberg.
For many elite universities, endowment funds have quietly become vital sources of funding. Harvard, America’s oldest university, has the largest pot — a sprawling portfolio that has grown significantly since 2000, totalling some $50.7B at the latest count.
The fund has little direct exposure to public equity markets, and is instead substantially invested in private equity (39% of assets) and hedge funds (31% of assets). Last year, Harvard’s endowment distributed $2.2B to the university itself. That was the largest single source of revenue for the college, accounting for 37% of Harvard’s total.
For many elite universities, endowment funds have quietly become vital sources of funding. Harvard, America’s oldest university, has the largest pot — a sprawling portfolio that has grown significantly since 2000, totalling some $50.7B at the latest count.
The fund has little direct exposure to public equity markets, and is instead substantially invested in private equity (39% of assets) and hedge funds (31% of assets). Last year, Harvard’s endowment distributed $2.2B to the university itself. That was the largest single source of revenue for the college, accounting for 37% of Harvard’s total.
