In Defense of Joshua Katz

Bill, I think President Eisgruber’s conduct was outrageous. If Professor Katz had sued, I would have enthusiastically contributed to his legal fund. I believe that Eisgruber’s conduct violated the rights of free speech and freedom from double jeopardy. I recognize that these rights do not apply in a nongovernmental context, but I think his contact was particularly egregious given that he has a law degree. I think Professor Katz’s decision not to pursue the matter may have been partly affected by the fact that he and his new wife were expecting a baby, but I know that his termination reverberated beyond Princeton. I hope Professor Katz has found avenues to contribute over the last few years.

I also am very disappointed that the Board of Trustees allowed this to happen. From my many years of experience I have learned that boards tend to bend to the wishes of CEOs, but doing so where inappropriate is inconsistent with their fiduciary duties. In the year when this happened, I wrote to the board chair, but received no response — not even an acknowledgment. I reduced my Annual Giving contribution to $1. Two class leaders contacted me out of concern. When I explained my rationale, they both advised me that there were additional facts that had not come to light, without revealing what they were. I cannot imagine that additional facts would have supported President Eisgruber.

Thank you for pursuing this.