John Harvard Rolls Over in His Grave!

In a report by StatNews they indicate that Harvard Medical is considering the rendering of naming rights to the School for a substantial donation. They note:

That’s the value of Harvard Medical School’s name: A billion dollars, or more? That question is swirling around the school’s historic quad. After Harvard broke with tradition last year and renamed its public health school in return for a billionaire’s record-setting $350 million gift, faculty members have been discussing whether Harvard Medical School should be next, according to Dr. John Rowe, chair of the Board of Fellows that advises the medical school.The suggestion has been met with enthusiasm — and some trepidation — from the Harvard community. Some call it a good way to catapult medical research forward and dig out of annual deficits at the medical school. Others balk at the suggestion of corrupting the world-famous Harvard Med brand by selling it to the highest bidder.

Well there is already a name, namely Harvard, there is a Hopkins, a Weill Cornell, a Duke, and the list goes on. But wait, they further state:

“If they named it the Trump School of Medicine, half of the faculty would resign,” Jones said.

So one guesses that you could name it anything but Trump! Well let's see where that would go....not yet. There is an academic political correctness that is in Boston. What ever happened to anonymous gifts? You still get a tax benefit but no recognition. Imagine Longwood Avenue becoming Trump Lane, the old Peter Bent Brigham, the ice cream guy, becoming Trump and Women's, isn't that a kick in the whatever.

Just following this internal cat fight will be interesting. It would have been interesting if they kept and renamed the old Lying In Hospital as well.... 

Talk of gasoline and a match, academics and politics....