The shocking decision to revoke a six-figure donation from a prominent figure in the real estate business who has generously supported Arizona State University (ASU) for the past two decades. Faculty members’ criticism of a staff member’s role in organizing on-campus events with notable conservative speakers prompted this sudden about-face.
Scottsdale real estate mogul Tom Lewis recently released a statement saying he would no longer donate $400,000 annually to the university’s honors college that carries his name. His choice was motivated by claims that a professor was fired for arranging college appearances by conservative speakers like Dennis Prager, Charlie Kirk, and Robert Kiyosaki.
Lewis said he was turned off by the “left-wing hostility and activism” he saw on campus and among ASU employees, and so he decided to withdraw his support. Lewis has given ASU millions over the course of two decades and was instrumental in founding the T.W. Lewis Center for Personal Development, which is now an essential part of the highly regarded Barrett, The Honors College at ASU.
Due to the faculty’s negative reaction to an event hosted by Ann Atkinson, executive director of the T.W. Lewis Center, in February, Lewis withdrew his financial commitment in late June. About a third of the Barrett faculty signed a petition at the time, calling the conservative speakers who had spoken at the campus event “purveyors of hate.”
Dyck, Jenny The Barrett faculty chair, Brian, voiced her displeasure to a local news outlet, explaining that she had no problem with the speakers themselves but did issue to the event being promoted using Barrett’s name and emblem. It was important for the professors to make it clear that they did not support the activity.
The event itself went off without a hitch. Several months later, though, Atkinson was let go from her post at ASU. Atkinson suggested in a statement released after her firing that her removal was related to her decision to invite speakers with right-wing views to campus. She voiced her displeasure, saying, “ASU claims to respect freedom of expression. The faculty mob, however, invariably emerges victorious over free speech safeguards in the classroom.
In a statement released on June 20, ASU said that Atkinson was let go because of a reduction in financing for her position as a direct result of Lewis revoking his donation. The school claimed that incidents like this, while unfortunate, were not unusual.
The statement went on to say, “Robert Kiyosaki, Dennis Prager, and Charlie Kirk’s ‘Health, Wealth, and Happiness’ event was a smashing success.” More than 600 individuals showed up to hear the speakers, and they all gave speeches.
After Atkinson and Arizona State University published their remarks, Lewis issued a news release in which he harshly blasted the university for its perceived animosity towards conservative ideas. In his own words, “after witnessing this level of left-wing hostility and activism, I no longer had faith in Barrett’s commitment to honoring the terms of our gift, leading me to terminate our agreement effective June 30, 2023.”
Lewis voiced dismay that this action was necessary and hoped that Barrett and ASU would respond swiftly to defend academic freedom and promote diversity of opinion.
Fox News attempted to contact both ASU and the T.W. Lewis Foundation for comment on Mr. Lewis’s decision to end the funding for this academic year. If we get any responses, we’ll add them to this piece.